Page 46 of Bitten By Desire

“I will do it another way. Leave the room,” Julian suggested.

“No,” I said, reaching deep for the power I’d felt filling me so often recently. If I truly had more in me, it was time to start using it. I recalled the feel of it, almost uncontrollable when I’d faced Silas at my father’s lab. The anger when I’d seen Em. Then I channeled it all into my command.

“Stop. Struggling.”

The fairy went limp, eyes bulging in disbelief.

“Was the thing you just killed a changeling?”

“Yes.”

“Why was he able to avoid my mind-bending?”

“I don’t know.”

“He didn’t have a charm?”

“Not to my knowledge.”

Julian released the thing and walked to my side to set a hand on my shoulder. Ask about the board members. What the plans are.

“What are you plans?” I demanded.

“We were sent to dispatch the changeling, who’d served his purpose. Then we spotted you. We would receive a large reward for your capture.”

“I see.” I drew strength from Julian’s touch and pressed on. “Why kill him when his job isn’t complete?”

“It was. His target was these two demons. He couldn’t have gotten close to the others, just them.”

Working that out in my head, I shifted uncomfortably. “You mean there are changelings for each board member?”

“Three so far,” the fairy answered, baring its needle-like teeth.

“Who’s the next target?”

“The rest of the board will die at once. We are tired of waiting for more changelings.”

“How? When?”

The fairy’s lip pulled up in a sneer, but it spit out the words I wanted. “We are luring them to an emergency meeting. They think you will be there, along with the queen. Tomorrow evening.”

“Where?” I asked, leaning down until I was almost in its face.

“The Island. The base at SHADE.”

“Who killed my mother?” I asked, straightening again.

“The changeling tasked with retrieving you. It is still amongst you. You can’t tell the difference.” The fairy grinned, and it was too wide, too evil for its face. I shivered. “Now what?” it demanded. “You aren’t going to kill me. Take me to SHADE and my people will find me tomorrow.”

I leaned back into Julian’s arms. The fairy was right. I wouldn’t just kill it in cold blood. Its friend had been attacking and threatening Julian’s life.

Its evil eyes widened and blanked, and what looked like black tar oozed from its mouth. Lorraine withdrew the weapon she’d just used and held it up in the air, covered in fairy blood. She looked almost surprised at her own actions.

The second fairy fell face-first to the ground at my feet.

Chapter 15

Get Off My Vampire

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