Fading Light: Shadow Born, Book 2 Read online

  As he stepped into the clearing, the multi-colored tents sat empty. They swayed in the breeze from the tunnels, but no one stood in front of them hocking wares. Half-filled cups and plates lay sprawled across the concrete, abandoned mid-meal.

  “Come to play hero?” Lilura stepped from behind a broken-down enclosure. “You’re a little late.”

  “What happened?” Gray moved forward. Dark magic thickened the air. It wasn’t Adare’s.

  She shrugged as she walked toward him. “What do you think? The humans attacked us. They need to learn their place.”

  “Humans didn’t do this.” The magical residue told a different story. One he knew Lilura was strong enough to read. So why was she lying?

  “Of course they did.” She laughed. “Wait till the rest of the world hears about this.”

  “You’re the last person I would expect to be spreading Adare’s propaganda.” He shook his head. “What did he offer you?”

  “Are you calling me a liar?” Her spell exploded around him in sparks of light. He swatted it away.

  “You don’t want this war,” Gray said, ignoring her attack. “Adare’s the only one that wins.”

  She cocked an eyebrow. “Psychic now?” She laughed. “Humans serve no purpose. They’re food.”

  “We’re not monsters. This plane belongs to the humans; they deserve to live here.” Gray studied her. She didn’t look well. Her damp hair lay in soggy curls around her pale face. Her neck and chest were smeared with blood.

  “Not anymore.” She threw up her hands. “It’s ours now. Adare opened my eyes. The humans don’t appreciate us. They hide behind laws and sympathetic deviants. They don’t deserve all this.”

  Gray wrapped his power around Lilura, searching for discrepancies in her magic. She didn’t appear altered, but after the situation with Ga’loh, he didn’t trust his instincts. “I’m disappointed in you, Lilura. Humans have sustained you for years. Why would you want them dead?”

  “I don’t need them anymore. I can feed off deviants. Their power sustains me longer.” Laughing, she looked at the ceiling then glanced around as if looking for someone

  Gray had a sneaking suspicion he knew who she was looking for. “How long have you known about Ga’loh?”

  She froze. Not meeting his gaze, she played with the edges of her frayed dress. “Ga’loh has nothing to do with this.”

  “Really?” Gray moved beside her. He grabbed her by the chin and forced her to face him. “I think he has everything to do with it.”

  She spit on the ground at his feet. “I hope he tortures you. You strut around like you’re better than us. Ga’loh could kill you with a thought.”

  Gray bit his tongue. His fight wasn’t with her. “Where is he?”

  She grinned, licking her lips. “Closer than you think.” She twirled on her tiptoes, her laughter echoing through the passageways.

  His patience was wearing thin. But she was powerful, so he had to watch his step. “Do you know where Ga’loh is?”

  Her laughter was wild as she danced around him. “I hope he eats you for dinner.” She ran her eyes down the length of his body. “Better yet, maybe he’ll give you to me. I bet you’re tasty.” Eyes wild, she backed toward the entrance to the tunnels.

  Gray couldn’t decide whether it was an act or she had truly jumped over the edge. When she turned and ran like the devil was at her heels, he was relieved. Ga’loh would require his full attention.

  He smelled Ga’loh before he saw him. His pungent clove aroma was unmistakable. As he turned to face the demon, Gray gave himself a quick pep talk. No matter what happened, the goal was to sway Ga’loh to their side. Killing him would have to wait.

  “Damn witches,” Ga’loh said as he moved into the clearing. “They never know when to keep their mouths shut.”

  “So you’re a demon?” Gray watched him carefully. The broken cadence which once marked his stride was gone as was the diminished posture. Although Ga’loh’s skin continued to rot off his bones, the power he had meticulously masked was evident in every movement.

  “Prince.” Ga’loh took a long drag of his cigarette. “To be honest I’m surprised it took you this long to figure it out. I thought you were smarter.”

  “I am.” Gray grimaced. The words sounded trite.

  “Sure.” Ga’loh smiled. The movement jarred one of his teeth and it fell to the concrete with a ting. “Damn. I only have five left.” He picked it up and shoved it in his pocket.

  “Did you use demon magic to bring me back to life?” Gray waited for his answer with bated breath.

  “What do you think?” Ga’loh stepped forward. “I’m a demon. I used magic. Hmmm,” he considered. “I believe that would constitute demon magic.”

  Gray’s breathing quickened. “Did you taint my blood?”

  Ga’loh stepped closer. His rancid breath was hot against Gray’s skin. “My blood knit you back together. Haven’t you noticed your powers are different? Stronger?”

  Gray closed his eyes. Ga’loh had given voice to his biggest fear.

  “You’re wondering if your brothers knew what I was.” He grinned. “Of course they did. Even a powerful war mage wouldn’t have been able to save you. They called for me, and I came. They did what I asked, and I healed you. The end.”

  “What did they give you?” Dread fueled Gray’s words. “What did you do to me? Tell me. I have a right to know.”

  “Perhaps.” Ga’loh took another long drag of his cigarette. “Don’t make this personal, Gray. You don’t want me as an enemy.”

  Ga’loh was right. Gray knew his brothers were to blame. They had made the deal with the demon. Ga’loh had simply agreed. Now Gray needed to keep on the demon’s good side, but he felt betrayed and violated and Ga’loh was an easy target. “Why did you let me believe you were a mage? Why not tell me the truth?”

  “Sore spot?” Ga’loh laughed. “What difference would it have made?”

  “Plenty,” said Gray. He moved forward until they were inches apart. “You’re a demon prince and I work for IRT. It seems there’s a conflict of interest somewhere.”

  “There is.” His rancid breath danced across Gray’s skin, but Gray barely noticed. “The entire time you were depending on me, using me to get information about Adare, I was helping him.”

  “Did you help him capture Brenna for Orien?” Gray clenched his fists. He wanted to slam the beast against the wall and destroy what was left of his human form. Gray’s magic swirled round him, cloaking him with power. He closed his eyes and tried to control both it and his temper. They needed Ga’loh. He had to remember that.

  Ga’loh shrugged, a grin spreading across his bloody lips. “I told Adare he should kill her and give Orien the body with a big red bow, but then I realized how powerful her healing skills were. Rumor has it she healed twenty hunters at the same time during Orien’s attack. I need that power, so I need her.”

  “You wanted her dead?” Gray took several deep breaths, but rage was taking over.

  Ga’loh smirked. “We needed Orien’s help, and he needed Brenna. Seemed easier that way.”

  Gray closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose. If he lost his temper and attacked, he would be playing right into Ga’loh’s hand. It was clearly what the demon wanted or he wouldn’t be trying to provoke him. Gray took a moment and thought things through. As he calmed, the cloud of magic surrounding him stilled, then dissipated. “You may need Brenna, but she doesn’t need you,” he bluffed.

  Ga’loh took a long drag of his cigarette, eyes gleaming. “That’s where you’re wrong. She needs me.” He grinned. “You both need me. Unless you want all the pretty humans to die.”

  Gray shrugged. “You’re working with Adare. If she heals you, who’s to say you won’t kill them anyway? She should let you rot.”

  “Then you’ll never get the cure.
”

  “So she heals you and you’ll just hand it over? Right.” Gray prayed he was playing this right. “We’ll need some assurances.”

  “I’ll give you your damn assurances,” Ga’loh hissed. A dark cloud of magic began to form at his feet. “Either she heals me, or I kill every human in this city.” He slipped his coat from his shoulders, letting it pool at his feet. Puss and blood oozed through his white shirt, staining it black and yellow. “Look at me. I’m a monster.” A cough wracked his body, and he leaned forward, spitting blood onto the ground. “And the pain is unbearable.” He raised his head, locking gazes with Gray. “Brenna’s the only one I’ve encountered that might be strong enough to fix this. And she will fix me, one way or another.”

  Gray shook his head. “You talk a good game, but you’re weak. Brenna’s not going to fix you for free, and you’re not strong enough to force her.”

  Ga’loh laughed. The raspy cadence echoed through the concrete room. “It’s dangerous to assume. Especially when you don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.” Rising to his full height, Ga’loh began to transform.

  Gray stared at him, shocked. “The witches cursed you to one form.”

  Ga’loh paused, mid-transition. “Adare broke the curse. He’s part mage. Lucky me.” He shed his humanoid form with vigor. But his demon form wasn’t much better. The golden horns that spiraled from the top of his head were bent and bloody and the scales on his elongated snout oozed with decay. His reptilian body was covered in a mismatched pattern of boils and open sores.

  Gray took a closer look. “You looked better as a human. Rotting demon is even less appealing.”

  Ga’loh hissed, flames shooting from his mouth. “Watch yourself, Shadow Bearer. The witches weakened me, but I’m still more powerful than you. My forms are too intimately connected for both of them not to be affected, but the curse damaged my bodies, not my magic.”

  Gray raised a brow. “Good bluff. But if you were shooting on all cylinders, you wouldn’t need Brenna. Last I checked, demons didn’t need to be pretty, just powerful.”

  “Damn you.” A razor sharp blade shot from Ga’loh’s hand. Too quick to see, it sliced across Gray’s lower legs. He hit the ground with a curse, the scabbard of his katana sliding across the concrete. Pain darkened his vision as he crawled to find cover.

  When he was securely behind a concrete barricade, he looked down at his injured legs. The pain from the wounds was debilitating, and healing wasn’t his forte. He needed Brenna. The best he could do was a partial mend. But it wouldn’t last long.

  “What the hell?” Gray shouted. “I thought we were negotiating.”

  Scraping his long black nails across the concrete wall, Ga’loh moved toward him. “We are. Pay attention. I’m explaining why you shouldn’t screw with me.”

  A spell on his lips, Gray stood, his legs still screaming, and lobbed a ball of electricity at Ga’loh. It hit him square in the chest. Sparks flew from his body as he threw his head back and screamed. The cry sounded more irritated than painful. The next spell sent a fireball slamming against the wound. The foul smell of melting scales filled the air.

  “That was uncalled for.” Ga’loh glared at him, blowing smoke from his nostrils. “I was just making a point.”

  “Sure you were. And I was just making one back.” Gray leaned against the concrete barrier, his breathing uneven and his heart racing. “Are you done?”

  Ga’loh sat on the cold concrete and watched him. “I like you, Gray. And why shouldn’t I? My blood flows in your veins.” He winked. His eyes were inhumanly bright. “Let’s talk terms.”

  “What do you want, Ga’loh?”

  “I want to be whole,” he replied. “Which is something you can help me with. In return, I’ll give you what you need to cure the humans.”

  Gray grimaced. “I’m not a healer. I wouldn’t know where to start. And I can’t speak for Brenna.”

  “No. But you can convince her.” Ga’loh leaned forward. “And if you don’t, I’ll continue to help Adare. He’ll eventually find a way to heal me.”

  “I’ll ask her.”

  “You better do more than that. It’s the only bargaining chip you have.” Ga’loh rose to his feet. “I’ve carved out a home in the caves near Red Rocks. Keegan knows where it is. Meet me there in two days with your answer. If you say no, I won’t help you. But if it’s yes, we’ll drink some beer and swear allegiance.” He considered. “I think that’s what the humans do.” He shrugged. “Killing something and drinking its blood seems more appropriate, but I’m old-fashioned.” Laughing, he pulled his magic around him in a cloud of blue smoke. When it dissipated, he was gone.

  Brenna woke with blurred vision, her head pounding. Someone had spelled her, and she was pretty sure it was Gray. It was like him to do something stupid when they had turned a corner in their relationship. His idiotic attempts to protect her were going to get him killed.

  She stumbled to the closet and pulled out her pink fleece robe. Her body ached too much to squeeze into jeans, but she was freezing. The robe wrapped around her shivering body, she stepped into the hall.

  And found Keegan.

  He was slumped in a white wooden chair, leaning against the wall. When she slammed the bedroom door, he woke with a curse.

  “You shouldn’t be up.” Keegan glanced at his watch. “Go lay down for another hour.”

  Arms crossed, she studied him. “I don’t believe it. Gray got to you.”

  Keegan jumped to his feet. The chair fell to the floor with a clang. “I’m not allowed to guard you?”

  She ignored him, moving to the stairs. “Where is Gray?”

  He shrugged. “How would I know?”

  Thankfully he followed her down the stairs because her legs were still wobbly. If he hadn’t caught her, she would have slid down the hard wooden planks on her butt.

  “How long have I been out?” She glanced around the living room for a place to sit. The sofa hadn’t been replaced, but the floor had been repaired and there was an orange bean bag in one corner. It looked comfortable enough. Once she was settled, she patted the floor at her side.

  “You’re not going to share?” Keegan crossed his arms.

  Brenna cocked her head. “Sit.”

  He was moving across the room when the front door opened. Gray stepped inside. He limped across the room, blood flowing down his legs. He was almost to the kitchen when he noticed her.

  “What are you doing up?”

  Brenna went through a flurry of emotions, but, once she realized his injuries weren’t as severe as she had first thought, anger won out. “Where the hell did you go?”

  “Out.” He shrugged. “I don’t recommend it.” Keegan offered him a hand, but Gray brushed it away.

  “You put me to sleep and went after Ga’loh, didn’t you?” She wobbled across the room until she was at his side. “He could have killed you.”

  Keegan made an exaggerated study of Gray. “He looks alive to me.”

  “Shut up, Keegan,” Brenna snapped.

  Keegan shrugged. “I tried,” he said. His gaze bounced between them before he disappeared into the kitchen.

  “I did the right thing.” Gray slumped against the wall.

  She didn’t dignify that with a response. His blood-soaked jeans were leaving a stain. A dutiful wife would have taken him upstairs, healed him, and put him to bed. All things she would do eventually, after she overcame the urge to kill him.

  “This is why I don’t trust you,” she began. “If we finish our bond and you do something stupid like this and get yourself killed, I die too.” She shook her head. “Ga’loh hurt your feelings, so you went after him. Did you even consider the consequences?”

  “Brenna—”

  She shook her head. “I don’t want to hear it. Strip.”

  “Excuse me?” Gray coc
ked his brow, then winced.

  “Strip. I need to see how bad you’re hurt.” She slipped the robe from her shoulders and tossed it to him. “You can use this to cover up. Your clothes are ruined anyway.”

  “Seriously?” He cast a bemused glance at the hot pink robe.

  Brenna took a long breath. She reminded herself she was rising above, doing the right thing. “Take off your pants or I’ll rip them off you.”

  “Woo hoo,” Keegan called from the other room.

  “Shut up, Keegan,” they yelled in unison. Locking gazes, they burst out laughing.

  “I hate that dragon,” Gray said with a wince.

  “I’m sure the feeling is mutual.” Brenna smiled. She walked over to Gray and pressed a kiss to his lips. “You’re an idiot. Let me heal you then we can sort this out.”

  His breath was hot against her lips. “Forgive me?”

  “Not until you realize you did something wrong.” She made quick work of the fastenings of his jeans. He hissed as she drew them down his battered legs.

  “I tried to heal it, but I think I made it worse.” He carefully stepped out of his pants. Brenna left them lying on the floor. “How bad is it?”

  She called forth her magic, using it to assess his injuries. “The wounds are deep. I’m going to have to clean them with salt water which is going to hurt like hell.” She helped him pull off his shirt. After she had inspected every inch of his body, she motioned for him to put on the robe.

  Gray leaned against the stairwell, his body encased in a hot pink fluffy robe. Had the circumstances been different, Brenna would have enjoyed it, but, today, it made her sad. At least until the front door opened and Sam stepped inside. The look on the incubus’s face was priceless.

  Chapter Twelve

  “Didn’t know you were into kinky.” Sam stepped into the room, a grin on his lips. “If you want, I can give you some pointers.”

  Gray growled and stepped forward.

  Sam raised his hands in front of his chest. “No worries, big guy. I won’t say a word.” Laughing, he disappeared upstairs.