Page 52 of My Demon Desire
The blood ritual we did pops into my mind and my chest constricts. Kaden, Reis, and Thorne; they were supposed to protect me, but I should've kept them safe too. I should've tried harder.
The image of my father, my men dead makes something deep inside me stir. My whole arm tingles and I look down. There's a faint golden light seeping from my skin, starting from the birthmark, and spreading throughout until my whole body glows.
The vines start to loosen, and my father, Kaden, Reis, and Thorne start to move.
The queen steps back and stares. My father looks at me in awe, the light is coming from within me, and the strength of it grows brighter.
On my body, all the thorns dissolve and I can feel the power of the fae and their magic coursing through my veins.
My skin flares to life and electric sparks fly as I focus my energy on the queen and her guards. The vines that held my men captive, the ones used to feed the queen's power, turn to ash, and disappear.
The queen gasps and takes a step back, her face a mix of shock and confusion.
"Kill her! Kill them all!" she shrieks.
Sparks of energy fly from my fingertips, and something magical is at work. The queen and her guards are thrown back.
The prisoners I'd freed yell, running toward us with sticks, clubs, and a few even have swords.
The guards fight to defend themselves and the queen, but it's like trying to hold back the tide.
I am human and fae, equal parts of both. I've never thought of myself as powerful before, but right now I do as magic pulses through my veins.
My dad and the others rush over to me, their skin is covered with angry red welts.
"You did it," my father says, squeezing me in a hug.
"Dad." Tears fill my eyes and I hug him back. "I missed you so much."
He pulls back, looking at me. "There's something different about you."
"Magic?" I take a guess, but then my gaze slides to Kaden, Reis, and Thorne.
"No," Dad says. “You have the same look your mom had when we fell in love."
My blush heats my face, but I nod.
"No!" the queen bellows behind me. "I will not do this. You are nothing! I bind your magic with mine." Black tendrils race through the air and wrap around me. She grabs a sword from a guard and shoves him backward. "You will die for this!" She rushes straight at me.
My dad spins me around and throws me into Reis's arms.
"No!" I scream, fighting against Reis's hold. My magic hums through my veins, but I can't bring it to the surface. "Do something!"
But I'm too late. The queen's sword pierces my father's chest, and I watch in horror as blood pools on his white shirt and he falls at my feet.
The pain and sorrow I feel are so deep, my knees buckle and I fall to the ground, Reis's arms keep me from falling onto my face.
"Do something," I plead, yanking on Reis's arm. "You've magic. Stop her. Heal him."
But he shakes his head. "She bound my power too."
"No, no!" I shove against him, crawling to my father.
"After I kill you," she raises her sword above her head, "I will kill your lovers. Every single one of them will die a long, horrible death."
Tears cloud my vision, but a surge of anger rises in me. Pain hits my birthmark, making my arm shake. A scream bursts from my throat at the surprise of it.
Silly thing is too late in its warning. I will make her pay for this. "You, bitch."
