Shadows of Fire (The Shadow Realms, Book 1) by Brenda Davies (chrome ebook reader .txt) 📗

Somehow, she managed to keep herself fromgawking at him like an idiot. Immortals rarely married, and whenthey did, it was forever. The bond was severed only by death orextreme circumstances.

“I didn’t know he had married,” shemurmured.

“There’s no reason you should. They marriedhundreds of years ago, and while the dark fae like to think all therealms revolve around them, I realize not everyone feels the sameway. I wouldn’t expect you to know our history, though many of mykind would.”

She chuckled as she rested her chin on herhand. He fascinated her; she could talk to him for hours, if notdays.

However, when the clock chimed out the nexthour, he rose from the chair. “I have to check on Brokk.”

She watched as he strode from the room beforepicking up her book again. There were so many things she should dotoday, but she didn’t move. She couldn’t bring herself to leave asshe hoped for his return.

Ten minutes later, he entered the room again.Alert for him this time, she caught his footfall in the hall andlifted her head as he glided toward his chair.

His movements mesmerized her; there wassomething animalistic about him. Something primal and lethal andutterly seductive in a way that might make her a little insane.

“Any change?” she asked as he settled ontothe chair once more.

“No.”

“I’m sure he’ll wake soon.”

“I hope so.”

He picked up his book and started readingagain. She did the same, though her attention remained mostly onhim.

After a few minutes, he set the book down andturned toward her. “What do you like to do for fun, Lexi?”

She lifted her book and waved it at him.“Read.”

“What else?”

“Riding, and before the war, I’d often go forhikes with my dad. Sometimes Sahira would join us. I also like tofish.”

“Did you go to parties?”

“My father had a few here that I attended asa teen, but I never went to the Shadow Realms until your father’sinvite arrived. Once the war started, the parties stopped.”

“That they did.”

“What about you, Cole? What do you like to dofor fun?”

There was one thing the dark fae lovedto do for fun, but she hoped he didn’t answer that.

“I also like to read and listen to music, andI attended many parties over the years.”

“Did you travel to different ShadowRealms?”

“I did.”

She set her book in her lap as she leanedforward. “What are they like? Are they all as fantastical as theGloaming? Which realm is your favorite?”

“My favorite is the Gloaming; there’s nothinglike home. But the witches’ realm is amazing, as is the lycan’s,and there are many others inhabited by numerous, immortal species.Many of them, I would never travel to. And then there is the sirenrealm and the imps.”

Lexi propped her chin on her hand as hetalked about the different realms and all the many immortalcreatures she would never meet. The deep timbre of his voice andthe pictures he painted enthralled her.

She could listen to him talk for hours, andthough he got up to check on Brokk every hour, that was exactlywhat they did. The sun was setting when she reluctantly pulledherself away from him.

She went upstairs to clean up another guestroom in case he decided to sleep away from Brokk tonight. When shefinished, she went out to bring in the horses.

She returned to the manor and discovered himsitting at Brokk’s side. She told him about the other room, but shedoubted he would sleep in it.

“Thank you,” he said.

She bid him good night and closed thedoor.

CHAPTER 36

Cole found Lexi in the library again the next dayand settled into the chair beside her. He couldn’t stop himselffrom smiling at her as she lowered her book and beamed at him. Thatsmile warmed his heart and could light up all the realms. He baskedin its radiance.

“How is Brokk?” she asked as she set her bookdown. “I poked my head in to check on him, but you were bothsleeping.”

“He woke in the middle of the night,” Colesaid as he rubbed his beard. “He was up long enough to drink someblood before passing out again, but he was talking, and he’sgetting stronger.”

“That’s great news.”

It was certainly a relief to him. He’d neverbeen so happy to hear his brother call him an asshole for leavingBecca’s establishment.

“I hope you don’t mind if we stay,” he said.“I think it will be a few days before he’s strong enough totravel.”

“Stay for as long as you need.”

He picked up the book he’d been readingyesterday, but his gaze continuously shifted to her as she sat withher legs dangling over the side of the chair. Her feet kickedleisurely back and forth as she turned the pages of her book.

He’d dreamt about her last night, and it wasthe first time since the war ended that he hadn’t had anightmare.

Instead of blood and death, his dreams werefilled with her smile and the warmth of her body. In those dreams,he stripped her bare and tasted every inch of her before takingher. Instead of waking with a scream trapped in his throat, heawoke aching for more.

He’d been about to rise and pad down the hallto knock on her door, but as he was contemplating going to her,Brokk woke up.

After that, he couldn’t leave his brother’sside.

However, his hunger for her was growing, andhe didn’t know how much longer he could deny himself. He didn’tunderstand why he was restraining himself. The only reasonhe could come up with was that he believed her to be innocent. Ifhe moved too fast, he might scare her away.

He’d never done slow before, but he could ifit meant getting her in his bed, where she belonged.

He read for a bit, but he watched her more.Finally, he gave up and lowered his book. “What’s your favoritemusic, Lexi?”

He’d learned a lot about her yesterday, buthe was eager to learn more.

She set her book down as she met his gaze. “Ilove the songs the pixies create and rock music like Five FingerDeath Punch and Disturbed. What about you?”

“I enjoy pixie songs and Creedence ClearwaterRevival.”

“Oh, they are good,” she agreed.

He spent the rest of the morning alternatingbetween checking on Brokk and learning more about her. The clockwas striking