Dawning of Light Read Online Free PDF Page B

she wanted to mate with him. Her parents locked her in the basement, without sunlight, for three days. She’d been so weak when they released her that they had called a healer to revive her.
    Since then, she and her parents had simply tiptoed around one another, without really communicating or trying to improve their relationship. Cecilia refused to accept their strict beliefs about the world and beings other than lightbearers, and they were unwilling to accept her for what she was and what she believed in.
    Her father’s gaze swept over Finn’s person. His scowl deepened. “What are you doing, hiding here in the corner with this shifter, Cecilia?” he demanded.
    Cecilia looked around. She and Finn were standing a few feet from the wall, near a cocktail table. Party guests mingled all around them.
    “I wouldn’t exactly call this hiding,” she replied.
    “We’re leaving, and you are coming with us,” her father stated.
    “Aunt Genevieve asked me to stay to help clean up after the party,” she lied, although it was only a mild lie. She almost always helped clean up after her aunt’s parties. “And then I planned to spend the night here at the beach house.”
    Her father shifted his gaze to his mate. “I cannot believe your brother has thrown not one but two important laws to the wind tonight. Our community is becoming little better than a pack of shifters,” he said with a sneer.
    Cecilia was certain she could actually feel the tension radiating off Finn. She had a surprising urge to reach out, to touch his arm, to offer a small gesture of solidarity. My parents are terrible lightbearers , she wanted to tell him. I do not hold to their beliefs, not at all . She did not know why it was so important that he understand this, all she knew was that it was.
    “Father, really,” Cecilia murmured.
    He simply glared, his gaze frosty. She turned to her mother. Before she could make her plea, her mother said, “We passed Samuel as we were making our way to the beach house.”
    Lacey Druthers bore a strong resemblance to her brother, the king. Her mate, Gerard, continued to glare daggers at the shifter who had done no more than exist. Oh, and save their daughter from dying several months ago.
    Minor detail.
    Cecilia felt a pang of guilt for subjecting him to her parents. As frustrating as Finn was, he did not deserve their wholly inappropriate rudeness.
    “Oh?” Cecilia commented. “I thought he left hours ago.”
    “He said he spoke to the king,” her father added. “About…” His gaze darted to Finn, and he let the sentence trail off.
    “The king said no,” Finn said flatly. He stared at the older male lightbearer, clearly challenging him. Gerard frowned and averted his gaze.
    “You do not know of what we speak,” Gerard said bravely. “And I would appreciate it if you minded your own business, shifter.”
    “The name’s Finnegan,” he said as he thrust his hand at Gerard and offered a toothy grin. To Cecilia, his smile looked more predatory than welcoming.
    Gerard hesitated and then briefly shook Finn’s hand before quickly releasing it as if he could not bear to touch him. Cecilia inched closer to Finn. If he noticed, he pretended otherwise.
    “Yes, well, would you excuse us? We’re trying to have a private conversation with our daughter.”
    “Actually, we need to excuse ourselves,” Finn said as he wrapped his hand around Cecilia’s elbow. She felt the now familiar frisson of magic caused by his touch, but for once she did not allow the heady feeling to distract her.
    “Olivia wants a word with her cousin. I promised I would find her and take her to the princess.” He did not wait for Cecilia’s parents to acknowledge his words. He simply turned away and guided her through the crowd, away from them. He then bustled her into a fairly secluded corner that was half-hidden by several large potted plants. When she turned around, he held two mugs of spiked cider in his hands.
    “Thank you.”