Runes of Black Magic: A Reverse Harem Urban Fantasy (A Demon's Fall series Book 3)

by G. Bailey

  Runes of Black Magic

  A Demon’s Fall Series Book Three

  G. Bailey

  Contents

  Description

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Epilogue

  Afterword

  Also by G. Bailey

  Links

  Excerpt of Wings of Ice-

  Ice

  Excerpt from Winter’s Guardian

  Winter

  Runes of Black Magic © 2018 G. Bailey

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any manner without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient.

  Cover Design by Andreaa Elena Vraciu.

  Title treatment by Daqri Combs.

  Edited by Helayna Trask.

  Created with Vellum

  Description

  Defending my claim to the throne will be easy, but defending my heart? That’s where everything could go wrong.

  Entering the royal court of the Protectors was never going to be easy for someone like Evie, but at least she isn’t alone. Trex, Connor and Nix are determined to show everyone who Evie really is and that she is not just the heartless assassin they all believe and fear.

  With whispers of war, the angels gone missing, and tests that are far deadlier than anyone could have predicted…who will win the throne?

  The Protectors aren’t the only ones that are whispering, because demons don’t forget.

  Death is not the end…and demons will survive.

  18+ RH series. Book three of four.

  Evie

  “I’m not good at admitting my feelings, but what you said about being brave…well, it hit home. I can’t run from feeling anything all the time. I just can’t anymore,” I whisper. “I love you. It’s that simple.”

  “It’s okay to love them too. I never thought I could share you in a million years, but it doesn’t feel like sharing with them. It feels like they are family,” he tells me.

  “It does feel like that, huh?” I muse, knowing that, for some reason, it just works with us all together. I never thought I’d have feelings for more than one guy, let alone think about a future with more than one, but here I am. Though I never once imagined being a princess, so it’s a strange year right now. I lean up, resting my chin on my hands as I look down at Azi’s contented face. “I don’t want to bring up anything bad right now, but we should talk about it. Did you find out anything useful?”

  “Why don’t we get dressed and get those Protectors of yours together. It’s a long story that I think everyone needs to hear,” he tells me.

  “A good story?” I ask, being hopeful.

  “Not exactly, Vi.”

  Evie

  The arrow leaves my bow, swiftly slamming into the middle of the target, and I am pulling my next arrow out of my quiver in the next moment. I turn to my left, shooting the next target dead in the centre when I hear him walking down the basement steps.

  “It’s six in the morning, Evie. Why are you awake?” he asks me, and only a fool could miss the worry in his voice. I don’t want him to worry about me. I am more than capable of looking after myself. It’s them I’m more concerned about. We stayed with the demons for five days while they recovered from the Protectors’ attack, and then Trex explained we could hide out in a cabin where Keeper Grey could find us. I run my eyes over Connor who, other than looking a little tired, seems perfect. Too damn sexy perfect, if I’m admitting the truth to myself.

  “I couldn’t sleep,” I reply, shooting another target on the right, just before Connor stops next to me, placing his hand on my arm. I look up at his messy bed head of blond hair and the concerned expression in his eyes and sigh. “I’m getting bored of waiting in this cabin for news while Hali is with a demon. Erica is still not dead, and nobody knows what is going on.”

  “It’s only been two weeks. Keeper Grey will make preparations—”

  “I don’t care what he is doing. I agreed to fight for my throne rather than murdering my sister straight away. I never agreed to sit in this cabin with three Protectors who are just as bored. Also, I don’t like the fact that Azi is looking for his brother all night and day while I worry what is going to happen when he finds him,” I growl out. Connor doesn’t reply, he just steps in front of me and slowly pries my fingers off the bow.

  “Look, I didn’t want to use my secret weapon to get you out of here…but desperate times and all that,” he says, taking my bow out of my hands. “I cooked you a plate of bacon, crispy just how you like it.”

  “You could have just started with that,” I mutter with a small smile on my lips. Connor leans in a little closer to me, reaching his spare hand over and tucking some of my hair behind my ear that has gotten loose from the messy bun it was in. I stare up at him, my lips parting as his fingers pause on my cheek.

  “I will clean up here, go on up,” Connor suggests, and I nod, ignoring the burning tension that sends shivers over my skin as he moves his hand away. Two weeks of desire-filled looks and all of them doing their best to stay out of my way is driving me mad. I thought Connor and I were going somewhere, now I feel like the forbidden princess or some shit. I nod, stepping away as I swallow my frustration and walk up the stairs of the basement. The dim lights are on in the corridor, and I walk quietly into the open plan kitchen and lounge, seeing a plate of bacon on the counter. I pick up the plate before going and sitting down on the sofa, nibbling on the pieces in silence for a while. There is nothing but silence and the noise of me crunching on bacon in the cabin until I hear the familiar sound of heavy paws walking to me. Star walks to the side of the sofa, resting her massive head on the arm as she gazes at the bacon.

  “You’ve grown again, girl,” I say, not feeling so shocked about her growth anymore but wondering when it will stop. In just two weeks, Star has grown to my shoulder height, and all of us have been struggling to non-stop feed her while she has her growth spurt. I chuckle as Star turns her head to the side, flashing me those puppy dog eyes. “I’m not Connor or Nix. That doesn’t work on me,” I warn her, shaking my head when she starts purring, and I sigh, knowing Star is making me go soft as I feed her two pieces of bacon. Connor walks into the room, jumping on the sofa next to me and grinning.

  “So, you’re sharing now? Awesome,” he says, going to pick up a piece of bacon, and I slap his hand away, glaring at him, and he laughs. “Only Star, huh? How
is that fair?”

  “She’s cute and doesn’t avoid me,” I say, and Connor stops laughing, understanding what I mean straight away.

  “I’m not avoiding you, trust me, Evie. I want nothing more than to be with you all the time, but—” Connor pauses as Star suddenly jumps in front of us, crouching low, growling as all the hairs on her back stick up in the air. I reach down the side of the sofa, pulling out my hidden dagger before standing up straight, right behind Star next to Connor. I stare at the space near the fireplace where Star is fixated on as the air starts to shimmer seconds before a blue fire burns a portal into existence. I hear Nix and Trex run into the room, but I don’t take my eyes off the portal as a man in a white cloak steps out the portal, his head hidden in the cloak hood. The man lowers his hood as Star stops growling, and his familiar eyes lock with mine before he bows his head.

  “Princess Evelina Ravenwood. It is good to see you again.”

  Evie

  “Keeper Grey, it is good to see you as well,” Trex formally replies for me when I’m silent for far too long. I’ve never been one for small talk or lying about my feelings. This keeper has had me waiting for two weeks, and I want an answer first. I keep my eyes on Keeper Grey carefully as I stroke Star’s head. Keeper Grey has cut his hair short, the sides are braided back, and there is now a black circle on his right cheek that I have no idea what it means. Trex walks past me to shake Keeper Grey’s hand, drawing my attention to the fact Trex has a sword in his hand, and he looks tense. I glance over at Nix, who is leaning against a wall and watching me back. He looks like he just woke up, his wavy, long black hair is messy, and Nix hasn’t bothered to put on a shirt like Trex, just low hanging black joggers. I run my eyes over his chest of tattoos that go all the way up his neck and down his arms, part of me wanting to step closer and examine every one of them.

  “How are you, Evelina?” Keeper Grey asks, making me turn my head to look at him as he goes and sits next to Trex on the other sofa.

  “Perfectly bored. You?” I reply, making him laugh as I cross my arms and wait for his reason for leaving me here so long. When he notices I’m not laughing and being quite serious, he stops laughing and sighs.

  “I know you must be frustrated, waiting here with no news for so long, but there have been problems to sort out since your last visit to the Protectors. Murdering Keeper Cadean and revealing he killed our beloved queen was a shock. Let alone that our queen had a child out of mating wedlock,” he explains to me. “There was a lot of mess to deal with to make it safe for you. I do not want you coming back to opposition from the people when, as princess, you should be welcomed.”

  “Will Evie be welcomed?” Nix asks before I can ask the same thing. I glance at Nix, his arms are crossed against his chest, making every part of his chest seem more defined. More muscular. More everything I struggle to pull my eyes away from. I never understood romance movies where the girl seemed star struck by guys without their shirts on…not until these guys. Not until Azi. I can’t keep my demon out of my head, and I hate that I can’t be next to his side, helping him look for his brothers or any news. Azi is worried, and that isn’t good.

  “Yes, she will be, or the keepers will deal with anyone that goes against her. Evelina is our princess and a rightful heir to the throne. She will be treated like a royal, and I hope Evelina will learn how to gracefully act like one as well,” Keeper Grey replies firmly, and I nod at him with a smirk. Graceful isn’t something I’ve ever been called before. Or asked to be.

  “So that means I can’t kill anyone for pissing me off?” I ask, and Keeper Grey laughs again. Why does he always laugh when I’m being serious?

  “You are so funny, Evelina…but no. It’s very important you gain favour with your people. I have planned many ways to gain this over the next two weeks before the first test,” he tells me, and I scowl at him.

  “Gain favour? How exactly?” I ask him. I’m not the type to chat with rich asshole Protectors to get them to like me. I know exactly how that would end. With my dagger in one of their feet.

  “By being nice, for one,” Trex informs me, like he knows what Keeper Grey is thinking. “By not being your charming, stab-happy self.”

  “Ha-Ha,” I sarcastically reply, rolling my eyes at him before looking at Keeper Grey. “What is your plan?”

  “For one, you come back with me and move into a royal apartment. I have made an entire penthouse suite safe for you, and your demon friend has access as well. Everything is planned. I think it is best that I inform you as we go,” he tells me, and I laugh this time, even though I think he is being serious.

  “Move into the Protectors’ with Erica and her psycho lover walking around? No thanks. I don’t want to be murdered in my sleep,” I say. Knowing Erica, there is literally a chance that would happen. She seems to like trying to kill me.

  “First off, Erica would not get away with hurting you. If she did and was caught, I would not allow her to take part in the test and win the throne. The throne needs a high keeper’s blessing, and I am the only high keeper left now. Things have changed, Evie; once, you were an assassin most were scared of, but now you have supporters in the city. Many liked your need to get revenge on the man that killed your mother. They saw it as an honourable killing fit for a queen,” he explains to me, and I don’t think I’m the only one shocked by that as I see the guys’ faces.

  “People like me? Seriously?” I question, and the guys all chuckle under their breath.

  “It’s not hard to like you, love,” Nix comments, and I glance at him just as he winks at me. “Yes, there are people who like you in the city. Though we need more to make sure your reign is long and peaceful. Now, your apartment only lets me, your men, your demon and Star in. That’s it unless I lower the barrier, or you do. It is safe, I promise you that on my honour,” he tells me.

  “So, my guys get to stay there with me?” I ask him.

  “Yes. It will be frowned upon, but I can sway people into believing you have a tight friendship with them, and that you are nervous in the city. I would like for you to refrain from showing more than a friendship in front of others. It is important,” he tells me.

  “You don’t have to worry about that. Apparently no one in this room is attracted to me, and they avoid me like I have the plague,” I reply, raising an eyebrow at Nix’s grumble, and Connor’s light growl of annoyance. Trex crosses his arms, openly glaring at me like I said something untrue. Out of all of them, Trex has been the worst. The only time he has spoken to me in these last few weeks was for training and to say thank you for helping Nix with his injury. Though the way he looks at me sometimes, I don’t know, it feels like more. I hate how I look at him because of how I feel. I’m sure my feelings are written all over my face, and I literally have not got a clue how to stop it. I keep telling myself that I need to focus on revenge and not guys who would make everything complicated. Especially not these Protectors and a certain demon I owe my life twice over to now. One day, these Protectors are going to leave, and I need to be ready for that. Why does it hurt in my chest when I think of any of them walking away?

  “Okay…that is good to hear. You have a lot more important things to focus on. I suggest you all pack, we need to be heading back to the city,” Keeper Grey says, and I nod, standing up with the others. Star purrs as she moves out of the way and goes over to sit in front of Keeper Grey, who leans back in his seat a little with wide eyes.

  “What in the world do you feed her?” Keeper Grey asks as I pick up my leftover bacon, as you don’t leave any bacon. Bacon is life, after all.

  “Bacon,” I reply, winking at the confused keeper before following my guys to pack the few things we have.

  Evie

  “We aren’t avoiding you, love,” Nix says, making me pause as he gently grabs my wrist as I step out my room with my bag. I look over at him, raising an eyebrow at his statement. I call bullshit on that one.

  “Yeah, you are. We went from secret, stolen kisses to whateve
r this is now. Unless I’ve missed something, you are holding back. I don’t play games for anyone, Nix,” I say, pulling my wrist out of his grip and walking over to where Keeper Grey is still sat, not being able to move as Star is nearly sitting on him, enjoying the keeper rubbing behind her ears. Star loves when Azi fusses her like that. I really miss the annoying demon recently. Not that I’d admit that to him if he asked. Hopefully, he finds the note on my bed that I left so he will know where to find me.

  “Star, come here,” Trex says, stopping next to me. His sword is clipped to his belt, alongside some other daggers, and he has a bag slung over his shoulder. My sword is in my bag, with anything else I’ve picked up recently and a few daggers I had hidden under my pillows and in the bathroom. Star stretches as she gets up, her long tail whacking Keeper Grey in the face, and I chuckle as he pushes the tail away and stands up, looking flustered.

  “Are you ready to leave, princess?” Keeper Grey asks, and I nod, glancing at the others for a moment. Each one of them looks fierce, attractive and mine. Wait, not mine. Maybe mine? This shit is confusing. When I look back, Keeper Grey is opening a massive portal next to the fireplace which is big enough for many people to walk in at one time. He walks straight in, and I follow just behind him. The portal leads to a gigantic room with a wall of ceiling-to-floor glass windows that showcase the Protectors’ city outside. The city keeps my attention for a moment, the way the sun shines down on the gold towers, and I walk to the window, ignoring the sounds of the guys and Star following through the portal behind me as I look down at the city. There are hundreds of people walking around outside, so very unusual from the last few times I was here. They wear a lot of gold coloured clothing, with flashes of silver clothes here and there. Gold must be the Protector colour, for sure.