Daemon held her gaze for a moment more before turning and walking out the door.
The sound of it slamming behind him echoed down the hall as he returned to the stairs that led to the brothel below.
I need a fucking drink.
Chapter Three
Auraelia
The resoundingdoor boomas it slammed into place reverberated through the air. Collapsing against the wall, Auraelia let go of everything she’d been holding onto for months.
Let go of the hold she’d kept on her magic.
Let the dam that had been holding back her pain and tears break and spill over.
Just…let go.
She’d kept everything bottled so tightly, tucked into the recesses of her mind, that she’d been able to fool herself into thinking she was fine. That she could get over whatever had been between her and Daemon. But the minute he stepped into that room, the minute his eyes locked onto hers, her resolve and the wall around her heart crumbled.
Tears streamed down her face as months of repressed magic bled out of her.
Wind spiraled around the room with enough force to slide furniture around and rip books from their homes on the shelves. Rain hammered against the windows, and thunder boomed in the sky while lightning twined up her arms until it encased her entire body in ribbons of crackling light.
Reaching for the one thing that could help, she closed her eyes and began counting.
One. Two. Three—
She needed to calm down. Needed to reign in her magic before she flooded the city or burned down the brothel with everyone inside. Every breath she took scorched her throat, and her lungs screamed for the air she was unable to find.
Four. Five—
She couldn’t move.
Couldn’t feel anything outside of the overwhelming grief that she’d been determined to ignore. Couldn’t see anything past the anguish that, once again, twisted Daemon’s handsome features.
Six—
Her eyes snapped open at the loud crash that echoed through the space as something rammed against the door to the office, and it wasn’t long before Piper and Xander were barreling into the room.
Piper seemed to be screaming to her, but she couldn’t make out the words over the wind's howling and the ringing in her ears.
Seven. Eight—
Her friend’s face twisted into one of panic as she rushed across the space to kneel in front of her and froze. Piper’s eyes quickly flicked over Auraelia’s body before she said something to Xander, who was out the door the next instant.
Auraelia looked down at the coils of light that surrounded her body, and dread set in.
No. This can’t be happening. I can’t—I can’t breathe.
Her breathing became more erratic as her panic rose, and for the first time since she discovered her lightning, itburned.The heat from the ribbons seared through the fabric of her tunic, and she couldn’t stop it. It was as if her magic was actively fighting against her. Raging against the leash that she tried desperately to put around it.
Her vision blurred from the tears in her eyes, sizzling against her cheeks as they fell.
It wasn’t until the world around her darkened and a pair of leather-clad knees knelt before her that she finally looked up.
Eyes the color of molten gold with the slightest hint of green around their edges stared back at her.
“Auraelia, let me help.” Daemon reached a hand out toward her as he spoke.
