by G. Bailey
“They kill demons. We kill them. Will there ever be anything other than death?” I ask, curious.
“Why do you care? You are one of them!” a random demon woman shouts.
“This Protector was the one that saved us in Hell. This Protector is the deadly assassin who is known to save any demon she can. She is the Salvatore,” a woman shouts, and the crowd once again goes silent except for hushed whispers. A red-haired demon walks out the crowd and over to me, then goes down on one knee. I search her face, remembering how different she looked in Hell. The demon has clearly been eating, cleaning herself up and I’m sure protecting herself since our last meeting.
“Do not bow,” I bite out, stepping closer, and offering her my hand to get up. She gently knocks my hand away.
“We bow, and you accept this sign of respect. We do not bow for just anyone, now look around at your people,” she demands, not looking up at me once as she speaks, and I look around in shock. Every demon here is on their knees, their heads bowed. Demons bow for no one, not even death itself. All the demons stay on their knees, except Azi who is stood in the middle, his arms crossed as he stares at me. Azi walks through the crowd and stops next to the woman in front of me, before kneeling and bowing his head.
“Why are you bowing, Azi?” I ask in awe.
“The demons haven’t had a Salvatore in all their history. We have never had someone on our side who wasn’t one of us,” he says, and looks up at me.
“Demons will rise,” I whisper, and Azi stands up, shaking his head.
“Demons will survive! Salvatore will save us, and a new queen will rise!” he shouts, and the demons repeat it over and over until it is all that you can hear.
“Evie?” I turn at the small, cracked voice and see the wall of flames is gone. Connor, Trex and Nix are stood in the middle, covered in blood and bruises. Trex is leaning on a gold sword, holding my purple one in his other hand and he can barely hold his head up as blood pours from a wound near his eyebrow. Star is holding Connor up by the looks of it, as there is a lot of blood on his leg, but I can’t see how bad it is through his jeans. I know all the blood on them can’t be just theirs. No one would survive that. I finally look to Nix, who is holding his bleeding arm as he stares around at the demons. They look like shit, and why do I feel sick just looking at them? I run over to them before I can even think it through, hearing Azi quickly catching up behind me.
“What happened?” I demand, inspecting Connor first. I rip at his jeans and see a giant cut all up his leg. How he is standing is beyond me, and if he isn’t healing himself, he must have used too much holy fire to keep the wall up or in the fight. I stand up and place my hands on his face. “Do you want to sit as I heal you? This is a big injury, and it is going to hurt like a bitch,” I warn him, and he shakes his head. I call my healing rune and place my hands against his chest. My rune burns as it heals him, but I’m not letting go until he can at least stand. Connor bites down hard on his lip, the pain-filled grunts actually hurting my chest to hear. Whoever did this to my guys is going to pay.
“Erica sent Protectors after us. There were at least ten, and we are lucky Star warned us something was coming so we could get weapons,” Trex says, answering my question and flashing a thankful look at Star. Star stays very still as I continue to heal Connor and sweat drips down my face.
“Best gift ever,” Nix laughs low, his hand covering his arm, and he must be healing himself. I glance back at Trex and know he needs help, but I can’t move, and he only shakes his head at me.
“Why didn’t you go somewhere else? They could have killed you here. None of you are in a position to fight a city of demons!” I scold them as Connor places his hand over mine and pushes it away.
“I can stand now. Thank you, Blue. Go to Trex,” Connor says and stands, just very shakily, but it’s enough to make me believe him. I make my wings go away as I look over my guys and start to feel beyond very angry. Erica can’t keep getting away with what she wants and doing what she pleases.
“We have healers that can help,” the redheaded demon woman says, coming over to us as I walk to Trex. I look around at all the demons watching us and back to my guys. Trex grabs my hand as I go to place it on him and heal him.
“You need to keep your strength. I’m fine and can heal myself.”
“Not one bit of you looks fine, Trex,” I reply.
“I mean it, I don’t need your help,” he snaps, and I shake my head, stepping away. I’m pretty sure he is going to pass out any moment, and then I can heal him anyway.
“Heal them for me, and I will owe you a debt. I have somewhere I need to go,” I say quietly to the demon. I look towards Azi, who sighs as he clearly overheard.
“In and out? Yeah? If you’re not back here in fifteen minutes, I am coming after you, Vi,” he says, just as Trex collapses to the floor. I run back to him, feeling his neck and the pulse that is there. I don’t want to admit that I would be seriously pissed if the asshole died. Nix rushes to his side and starts healing him as I make myself stand up.
“Evie?” Nix asks, when I turn away from them and go to Azi, who wordlessly hands me my dagger back. I didn’t want to scare the demons by flying in here with a weapon, but I do need it for where I’m going. I don’t care one bit if the protectors are scared of me.
“Stay here. I don’t need help with this one, well maybe just a cat’s help,” I grin, walking over to Star and placing my hand on her head to stroke her. “You want to help me deliver a message?” Star only pushes her head further into my hand as an answer. Star is covered in blood, but I think it will only help the Protectors see how serious I am.
“Are you sure you don’t want us with you, love?” Nix asks, guessing where I am going and not looking happy about it. His voice is tired and clearly in pain, and he is still ready to fight for me. Azi goes to their side and nods once at me. He will sort them out until I’m back.
“No. I am not hiding any longer,” I state firmly. “Everyone needs to damn well know who I am. No more hiding in the shadows.”
“Who are you?” the demon woman asks as I make a portal appear.
“The damn fucking princess of the Protectors, and I am going to claim my throne. When I become queen, Protectors will no longer hunt innocent demons. Times are changing, and demons will survive,” I say, my voice carrying along in the wind like a prayer. And in my mind, it is a promise.
Evie
The portal lands Star and me directly outside the room I met the keepers in last time. The throne rooms. Which is unfortunately guarded by Protectors who look half asleep until they realise we are here and alarms on their watches start beeping. The three guards run at me, their spears held high. Star jumps at one of them as I throw a wave of holy fire at one guard and round house kick the other that gets to me. Both of them slam into the wall, knocking their heads and collapsing. Star has knocked the other one out and is sitting on him, which makes me smirk.
“Well that was easier than expected,” I say, smoothing down my dress. Not even one rip. Score. I pick up one of the guards by his hood, and Star runs to my side. I look up at the statue of the woman with the four runes on her arms as she bows. I never did ask what the black rune does. When the guys are better, I need to learn that one.
“Time to do this,” I tell Star, needing a second before I walk forward and kick the doors open. A least ten people gasp, some scream as I walk into the room, and others run away as fast as they can. I so want to shout, “Surprise!” but I hold off on that one. There are hundreds of Protectors here, most standing around by the walls, and the ones in the middle back away as I walk through them. Erica is sitting on the throne at the back of the room, five keepers at her sides, their faces hidden in hoods, so I don’t know if one of them is keeper Grey. Erica drops the glass of wine in her hand as she jolts back in shock, and it smashes on the gold floor, the red wine looking like blood as it spreads around her feet. Her black hair is up in an impressive bun, with curls hanging out, and her
blue eyes couldn’t look more shocked.
"Did you miss me?" I ask, dragging the guard by his hood across the shiny glass floor. I drop him in the middle of the room, and they all just stare, speechless. "I'll take that as a yes."
“How dare you come in here—” one of the keepers starts to say, and I tune out his rant as I stare at Erica who hasn’t taken her eyes off me. Her red nails are digging into the gold throne, her blue eyes narrowed, and every bit of her looks like she wants nothing more than to kill me. Erica stands as I say the words I know she feared I would speak.
“I am Evelina Ravenwood. Daughter of Eella Ravenwood, and I am here to make a claim to the throne,” I shout. Silence follows my declaration until everyone starts shouting and demanding to know the truth. Most demand that I am lying, others seem to believe me straight away which makes me think they knew all along. There was no way some Protectors didn’t see the queen and my father at times. One of the keepers walks in front of all the others, and I know from the white hair hanging out his hood who he is. Keeper Cadean lowers his hood and starts clapping his hands until there is silence in the room, and I tighten my grip on my dagger. Star growls loudly at him, and I place my hand on her head to stop her jumping at him. Even if I would love nothing more than to see Star rip the dickhead to pieces.
“You can’t just come here and claim to be a child of our beloved queen. You have no keeper to bless you and prove your birth,” keeper Cadean exclaims in a pompous voice. “Now leave. You are not welcome here.”
“I bless her and recognize her birth. She is who she says she is,” keeper Grey says, walking to keeper Cadean’s side, and lowering his hood. Whispers break out in the crowd of Protectors as the keepers stare each other down. I smile as I watch Erica slowly lose her shit, but then she seems to gain control, plastering a big smile on her red lips. She stands up and walks over to me, stopping a few feet away.
“I lost my sisters, and I never thought I would be lucky enough to find another family member. This is truly an amazing day!” she says, her voice overly sweet and she comes closer. “Can I hug my sister?” Her question is loud, and I can’t help my instant reply.
“No. You can fuck right off,” I answer, and the Protectors gasp in horror. Shit, I was meant to be nice and fake. Ah well, no going back now.
“Don’t worry, I understand you haven’t had a good upbringing…and you have become, well, this. I still want to be your sister and welcome you to your home,” she says, smiling sweetly once again. She is playing the crowd. The little bitch. I walk to her side, standing extremely close so only she can hear me.
“I am going to kill you,” I warn her, and she keeps a smile plastered on her face as she turns to me.
“Good luck with that, sister. Whatever saved you, won’t work next time.” Erica walks back to the throne as keeper Grey comes to my side, placing his hand on my shoulder.
“We should leave and give the Protectors some time to plan,” he suggests, and I don’t miss the we in that statement. They are going to try and kill him for what he has done.
“Sure. I only have one more thing to do,” I say, and lift my dagger in my hand. I pull back and throw it, and it lands in the heart of keeper Cadean. The Protectors scream as I walk over to him, his hand clutching the dagger and his mouth parted in shock.
“What have you done?! Murderer!” Erica screams, but she isn’t brave enough to come near me just as I get right in front of the keeper. I lift his head with my hand, his eyes seem somewhat scared of death. After what he did, he should be.
“This keeper killed my mother. Our mother. I will not let him live,” I shout, making sure everyone hears me.
“That isn’t true,” Erica says, shaking her head and when I look over at her for a second, I can see she is truly shocked. She doesn’t know.
“It is. Keeper Grey even heard the deal he made with the demons that killed Eella and nearly me as well,” I reply. “I have other proof, but it isn’t needed.” I ignore everyone shouting and making demands that I be taken away. I lean down, pulling the dagger out of his heart and watching the life leave his eyes. The light of his soul floats out his body, flying up through the ceiling as he falls on the gold floor. I wipe the blood off my dagger on my dress and turn around.
“Let me make one thing damn clear. Anyone that attacks my family, that kills anyone I love, will have the same fate as this keeper. I protect my own, and I get their revenge. Always,” I shout into the crowd, and see a few Protectors flash me a look of respect, even if most look terrified. I walk over to keeper Grey and open a portal without looking back once. Star jumps in, and I give him a quick look.
“I will stay. I am next in line to lead the keepers. The test begins soon, I look forward to seeing you there, princess Evelina Ravenwood,” he says, smiling at me before bowing his head then walking over to the keepers. I don’t miss how he purposely steps over keeper Cadean’s body on his way.
“See you soon, dear sister,” Erica calls out, again using that stupid innocent sweet tone. I don’t even reply to her as I walk through the portal and go to the only place I know as home.
Erica
“Cex, we have a problem,” I whisper, keeping my voice as seductive as possible as I lay my hands on his chest. I should be terrified of the dangerous glint in his eyes when he grabs my hands and squeezes them tight as he pulls them off his chest, but it only makes me desire him more. I try to forget the determined expression on Evelina’s face as she strolled in the throne room like she owned the entire city. She owns nothing. She is nothing. I will be queen.
“You mean the problem of your assassin sister still being alive?” he growls out, and I can barely understand his words with how angry he is. I scream in pain as he suddenly throws me across the room, and I smash into a mirror. The mirror cuts into my skin in dozens of places, and I lay still as Cex walks over to me.
“I didn’t know,” I bite out, fearing the look on his face as he stares down at me.
“If I didn’t need you, you would be dead,” Cex points out emotionlessly, and lifts me up off the ground with one hand.
“But you do need me,” I cough out as he wraps his hands around my throat, and his eyes glow redder than before.
“I have a plan, a way to make sure Evelina is no threat to you becoming queen,” he tells me and slides a hand down my body to my ass. He lifts me onto the dressing table behind us and steps in between my legs, still forcing my gaze up to him with a tight hand on my throat.
“What plan?” I manage to cough out.
“Do you think I can trust you?” he murmurs and laughs low.
“Yes,” I whisper. “I love you. I would never betray you.”
“You will be queen, and then maybe I can trust you,” he states, making my heart pound from both fear and desire. “For now, you will do what I tell you, and we will destroy Evelina Ravenwood together.”
“How? Show me something at least. I do not know how to beat her in the test,” I confess, and he tilts his head to the side with an evil sneer.
“Come with me,” he says suddenly and lets me go. I fall to the floor, but I quickly force myself to get up and run after Cex as he walks through a portal he makes. I sway a little when I get to the other side and feel thankful that demon portals do not knock me out anymore.
“Where are we?” I ask, looking up at the massive house which is lit up with dozens of lights. I can hear traffic in the distance, and we are stood in a garden with massive walls.
“Somewhere we can get power, and lots of it. Evelina won’t be able to fight you, not after we finish our work here,” Cex states and grins at me before walking straight towards the house, and I don’t pause as I walk after him and see what I think is an angel fly into the sky.
Pre-order Runes of Black Magic here…
Thank you so much for reading Runes of Mortality!! A big thank you to Helayna, Meagan, Taylor, Amanda, Meg, Mads, Erin and everyone that supported me with this book!
Book three, Runes of Black
Magic, is up on pre-order and there is four books in this series. There is a spin off planned also. Please keep reading for an excerpt from other books of mine, and links on where to find me for updates and teasers!
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