Her Avenging Angel (Her Angel Romance Series Book 7) Read Free Page A

nature closed in on her from all sides, and beyond it pricks of bright yellow lights. Where was she?
    She tried to remember how she had come to this place.
    Sharp pain stabbed behind her eyes and she screwed them shut, unable to bite back the whimper that slipped from her lips. The fierce fiery ache subsided and fragments of memories of the battle took its place, speeding through her mind, distorted and bringing their own form of pain as her head throbbed and her body throbbed with it. Each blow she recalled echoed on her body, pain that burned in her limbs and seared every healing gash anew.
    She forced her eyes back open and scanned the area around her, focusing on it to push the memories to the back of her mind. No sign of the battle she had taken part in. It hadn’t happened here.
    Lysia thought back to it again and pain blazed through her bones, setting them on fire, and she cried out as it seared her mind. She collapsed against the grass, breathing hard, each inhale filling her senses with the smell of it and the sweet coolness of the dew that clung to each blade.
    The memories ended with the darkness of sleep.
    She could only surmise that she had stumbled here from the battlefield and had passed out.
    Lysia pushed herself up again and studied her surroundings. They were unfamiliar, noisy and strange. She could see great stone buildings beyond the trees and odd colourful growling creatures that roamed beyond the boundaries of the patch of nature. Their bright eyes swung her way at times and she shrank back, her heart pounding, fearing they would come for her while she was weak.
    She needed a haven. Somewhere warm that would provide her with sustenance so she could restore her strength.
    She stumbled onto her feet and closed her eyes, tipping her head back and her face to the inky sky.
    Deep within her, she felt a familiar stirring. Demons were nearby. She would be safe with them.
    She followed the sensation, using it to lead her to them. When she reached the edge of the trees, she hovered in the shadows, watching the growling boxy beasts as they rumbled past, seemingly patrolling the area but not acknowledging each other. Thankfully, they didn’t seem to notice her.
    There were a few mortals on the path ahead of her, between one set of the great buildings.
    She was in their world.
    She waited for them to disappear from view before scurrying across the black smooth rock surface to one of the buildings. From there, she stayed close to it, hurrying along the paved path, tracking the demons. She was closing in.
    The sensation led her down narrower paths into darker areas, and she slowed her pace, sensing mortals ahead of her. Where the demons were.
    Why were the demons with mortals? Were they feeding?
    Her stomach growled again, the noise loud in the quieter air.
    In the distance, she could hear the distinct chatter of voices, and a heavy tribal beat. A gathering?
    Perhaps there was a sort of feast happening.
    Her stomach made a stretched out series of gurgles, whistles and peeps at that. She rubbed it and hurried forwards, stopping only when she came upon the mortals. She lingered in the shadows of a building, hidden behind the corner of it, and peeked around to view the feast and gauge whether it was safe.
    A string of mortals were lined up against a wall, a large demon ushering them one by one into the building. He eyed them all closely and turned some away. Was he in charge of picking the best from the worst? He flashed a toothy grin at two females and raked dark eyes over them as they entered.
    Lysia had the impression he had earmarked them for himself.
    A bright colourful sign hung on the wall above the door, the language unfamiliar.
    She studied it until her eyes hurt and the words were burned onto her retinas, trying to make sense of it, and then shrugged. It didn’t matter. She would enter this place and there she would find sustenance. She needed to be inside, out of the cold and safe. She would be safe inside.