Linsey Hall [Hall - Heir of the Fae

The cool night air blew my hair back from my face as I crouched in the alley, waiting for my prey. The Council of Demon Slayers had sent me after an Exurbia demon, and it was the perfect night for hunting.

If I ignored the puddle of vomit to my left.

And the spoiled Thai takeout to my right.

It all reeked, making my stomach turn.

I had a strong stomach. After all, I cut into my veins daily as part of my Blood Sorcery.

But vomit was where I drew the line.

I also drew the line at demons who screwed with my city. Which left me in this unfortunate predicament. This demon was coming to steal the magic from unwitting citizens. By doing so, hed pretty much be stealing their souls.

Not on my watch.

Which meant I was crouched here in the third level of hell, hoping the demon hurried up so I could kill him and get on with my night.

Movement on a rooftop to my left caught my eye.

What the hell?

It was after three in the morning on the quieter side of town. No one should be out at this hour.

But there was definitely a man up theretall, broad-shouldered, and with a silhouette that made him look like a god. The moon shone from behind, casting him in shadow, but I couldnt help but think of Tarron.

Tarron, the powerful and devastatingly handsome Fae king who believed I was his fated mate.

Tarron, the same Fae king whod just learned that I was Unseelie to his Seelie. In Fae terms, I was evil to his good. Dark to his light.

It wasnt a problem for me. Id been a Dragon Blood all my life, possessing such powerful magic that I could turn to the dark side any time I wanted, becoming obsessed with power.

I never had though.

So learning that I was half Unseelie Fae wasnt that big a deal. To me, at least.

I knew I wouldnt turn evil.

Tarron didnt. And the Unseelie had basically killed his brother. Worse, even.

When hed found out what I was last week, the disgust on his face had made me run. Wed had something between ussomething new but realand his sudden change of heart

Yeah, no. Not for me.

I wasnt going to stick around with a guy who thought my origin was disgusting. True, I had no control over my new wings or whatever Unseelie magic existed within me. I hadnt been able to make the wings appear again after theyd shown up the first time, and that was terrifying. But that didnt make me evil.

The figure on the roof didnt move.

Was it really him?

There was no way hed be spying on me. Not a king, come to the real world of Magics Bend to watch a peon like myself.

He disappeared, but the tension didnt fade from my shoulders. Just the idea that it might have been him tied me up in knots.

I turned my attention back to the street, just in time to see the demon. He was slinking out of the alley across the street, his form tall and wiry. His skin was a pale, ashy blue and his eyes a brilliant red. Long horns protruded from his head, and his magic reeked of a skunk whod gone to town in a dumpster.

I grimaced, then frowned.

He didnt look like an Exurbia demon. Maybe he just looked funny? Anyway, he was a demon in the right place at the right time.

Good enough for me.

I called upon my bow and arrow, drawing them from the ether.

The demon was quick, moving toward the open window of a first-floor apartment. The person who lived there had clearly been trying to catch a bit of breeze.

Instead, theyd catch a demon.

Not tonight.

I rose silently, sighting my arrow and releasing it toward the demon. It flew through the air, swiftly and silently.

A satisfied grin spread across my face.

Itd be a direct hit.

At the last moment, the demon turned and smacked the arrow out of the way. He moved as a blur.

The bastard.

Exurbia demons shouldnt be that fast.

Yeah, he definitely wasnt an Exurbia demon.

I raised my bow and arrow again, but his flame red eyes met mine. He grinned, his fangs glinting in the light, then shot a blast of electric blue energy at me. It sparkled with green lights. Id never seen anything like it.

I dived left, hoping to avoid the strike.

The magic slammed into my leg, making pain tear through my muscles. I shook uncontrollably as I dropped to the ground, tears prickling at my eyes.

Shit. I clutched my leg, swallowing down bile.

What the hell had he hit me with?

Some kind of crazy electric magic. Cold sweat dripped down my back as I looked toward the demon. He was completely ignoring me, creeping toward the open window.

Bastard thought I was down for the count.

If hed gotten a more direct hit, I would be.

Whatever he was working with was so powerfuland he was so fastthat my bow and arrow wouldnt do the trick. None of my magic would.

I had to fight fire with fire.

Quickly, I sliced my finger with my sharp thumbnail, smiling slightly at the bite of pain as I called upon my Blood Sorcery. Id grown to like this painit was an indicator that I was in control.

As blood welled, I focused on the demons signature. It still reeked, but I forced myself to inhale it. It helped me mimic the magic that hed thrown at me. Id neutralize him with a bit of his own power. It was one of my favorite tricks. Hed never expect me to throw his own gift at him.

Slowly, it grew inside me, crackling within my chest like electricity. But there was another unfamiliar buzz there. Faint. The magic hesitated, not forming as fast as it normally would.

My Blood Sorcery had been a little uncooperative since Id gotten my Unseelie wings, but this was worse. The magic inside me was unsettled, no doubt because of my recent transition, but I could still use it. I just had to be careful.

As the demons electric power surged inside me, I stood. I drew a dagger from the ether, then raised my other hand, aiming for him. I called upon the magic inside me, letting it rise to the surface and flow down my arm.

It shot from me as a bright blue current flecked with green sparkles, lighting up the night. At the last moment, the demon turned.

He fired his own blast of magic at me, and the two streams met in the middle. I winced, forced backward by the force, but kept my magic flowing. The two streams of electric energy crackled and burned, binding us in a weird dance.

I struggled to keep the magic flowing as I raised my dagger and hurled it at him.

Distracted by our joined magic, the demon wasnt able to dodge the blade as quickly this time. It plunged into his side, and he let out a high-pitched scream, making the hairs on my arms rise.

Our joined magic crackled and danced. The demons grew brighter, stronger. My breath grew short as I fought it, but something strange happened.

The power that fizzed inside my chest changed. It twisted and writhed.

Oh no. The Unseelie part of me was rising again, sending my own magic out of control. Itd never been this bad, though. This was crazy. True terror fizzed through me, icing my skin and making my stomach turn.

The power burst out of me in a blast. Somehow, it joined with the demons stronger magic, mutilating itself. Our power fed off each others, growing brighter and stronger until it exploded in a blast so bright it blinded me.

I flew backward, slamming into the alley wall and sinking to the ground. Pain surged through me as I blinked, my heart thundering in my ears.

All I could see was bright white, then darkness. Magic fizzed in the air. Something was terribly wrongI could feel it. I scrambled to my feet, my chest feeling hollow and my breath heaving.