Total pages in book: 56
Estimated words: 54625 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 273(@200wpm)___ 219(@250wpm)___ 182(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54625 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 273(@200wpm)___ 219(@250wpm)___ 182(@300wpm)
And that sound also did something else.
But not to Bael. To Daemon.
A weak, rumbling growl moved through him.
Then, suddenly, wings flew out from behind Daemon’s back, shooting out, and… wrapping me up.
“Whoa,” I gasped, suddenly enclosed in their warmth.
They weren’t bird-like wings with downy feathers. They were more like a bat. But also weirdly, velvety smooth.
I just barely managed to resist the urge to rub my cheek against them.
Alright, fine.
I didn’t manage anything. I would have absolutely done it if Daemon hadn’t collapsed from whatever energy expelling his wings had sapped from his already weak body.
“Shit,” another voice said, but I was on my knees on the ground, holding up Daemon as his wings stayed tight around me. “Daemon, man, we’re not gonna hurt your girl.”
“Shoulda known he was out Claiming someone,” another voice said.
“Daemon, hey, you have to, like, suck your wings back in,” I said, patting his leg. “Come on. You don’t have the energy for this,” I added, pressing my forehead to the side of his head. “Please, they need to help you.”
I wanted to believe he heard me, that some part of him was still able to respond to me. But I knew it was more likely that he just ran out of energy to keep them out.
So they fell.
Then disappeared.
“Arick said Lenore might be able to heal him,” I told the demons gathered all around.
There were women inside the house, watching from a distance, giving the demons space to lift Daemon and carry him into the house.
One of the demons hung back, all blond hair and a big, comfy-looking grandpa sweater.
Ace.
Their leader.
“Who are you?” he asked.
“I’m Nox.”
“And, Nox, what happened to Daemon?”
“That’s a bit of a long story.”
“Luckily, I have time,” he said, waving an arm out to invite me inside.
“Can Lenore help Daemon?” I asked.
“I’m mildly uncomfortable with how you know us, but we don’t know you.”
“And by that, he means It’s nice to meet you, Nox,’” a pretty blonde said as we walked into the library.
That must be Jo, Ace’s woman. The nurse-turned-immortal. Through some sort of magical whammy that involved pieces of souls or something like that. For some reason, that part had been a lot less interesting to me than the whole demon thing, so I hadn’t been paying that close of attention.
Ace moved over toward the fire, and I remembered Daemon saying that he was always cold. That they all were, but it was worse for Ace for some reason.
“You’re Jo,” I said, wanting to give the woman a smile, but I didn’t seem capable right then.
“I am. I’m going to go check on Daemon, but I wanted to remind my man to play nice. You’ll keep an eye on him, right?” she asked the woman leaning in the doorway with her pale blonde hair in a bun and gold wire-rimmed glasses on her face.
“Sure,” the woman said.
“I’m sorry; I don’t know you.”
“Charlotte,” she said, giving me a tight smile. “I’m with Bael.”
“Oh! You must be the professor, then.”
“She is,” Ace said, eyes slitting at me, suspicious. I couldn’t blame him.
“Well, that makes this part easier, I guess,” I said.
“How’s that?” Ace asked.
“Because everything that Daemon and I have gone through since we met has to do with the old gods,” I told them.
Then I launched into it. From the first time I saw him in the basement, the trips to Arick’s and the Underworld, and everything in between.
Minus the spice.
And maybe playing down my weaknesses.
“Have you tried to give Daemon the ambrosia?” Ace asked.
“I didn’t think he could have it,” I admitted.
“He likely can’t,” Charlotte agreed. “Or, at least, it probably won’t do anything. You said it was Oizys who had Daemon?”
“I’m almost positive, yeah.”
“What are you thinking?” Ace asked.
“That she not only physically tortured him, but mentally tormented him as well. Maybe enough to… break his spirit.”
“That was what Nemesis said. She mentioned him being ‘broken.’ At the time, I thought she just meant the state of him.”
“Maybe she did,” Charlotte said. “We will have to see what Lenore has to say.”
“Can I go see him?” I asked, looking at Ace. “Please?”
“I doubt I would be able to keep you away,” he said, waving toward the steps.
“I’ll take you to his room,” Charlotte said, giving me a tight smile before we fell into step on the wide staircase to the second floor.
The place was massive. Daemon’s room was no exception. I was pretty sure it was bigger than any apartment I’d ever had.
There were classic touches: the wide crown molding, the large windows, the beautiful hardwood floors. But Daemon had put personal touches in the space too.
The walls featured both modern pop art and classic prints of beautiful women. He had a record player and a five-CD changer straight out of the aughts. A massive TV was mounted to the wall over an old brick fireplace.