The Aetherfae Read Online Free PDF Page B

house.”
    Nija eyed my family and pulled his dry, black lips back in a downward smile. “I will be with you straightaway, David O’Shea. I’m here for all of you.”
    Slowly the Quint began moving back toward me. I struggled against him, grunting in the process. Deep lines formed around his eyes as he pushed harder. I drove concrete spikes through the floor and tried to force them into his feet, but he rose on top of them as though he was levitating. We struggled, Quint against Quint, sparking and sizzling. I wrapped myself in Clóca and moved to the left. Nija twisted his head to the side, listening. I began blowing objects at him from behind. They bounced harmlessly off his shield. A high-pitched laugh rattled out of his chest when I wrapped the Clóca around my family.
    “Please,” I cried, looking into Mom’s wide eyes. “You need to leave. I’ll explain later. Get out of here now or you’ll all die.”
    A vein bulged in Dad’s neck—he was furious. From a nightstand next to their bed, he grabbed a handgun. I didn’t know he had one. He lifted it and squeezed off a shot. To my shock it entered Naji’s chest. From behind the Clóca, he hadn’t seen it coming. A dark wet stain appeared in his shirt over his heart and he slumped, glowering in our direction. Dad fired another round, but it sizzled and disappeared against the Quint barrier Naji made solid.
    Sasha entered the room from the floor and took human shape. Big blue eyes, frightened eyes, locked onto mine. “Get out of here. I cannot buy you much time.” With molten energy, he pinned the weakened intruder to the wall. I grabbed my parents and tried to push them. When Dad pushed back, I used Air and blew them into the hall, tumbling over one another. Grandpa hit the floor hard. He grabbed his hip, wincing and moaning. I knew he’d broken it. Oh god, I’m so sorry. Crap!
    I drew energy from the storm and from as deep in the earth as I could reach, and focused my attack on Naji. The wound on his chest healed, and he fought back ferociously. Quint pierced Sasha’s abdomen. A second later he screamed and flashed out. I pressed my attack, nearly making contact, but Naji countered. That instant, I felt three more Fae enter the house. I backed out of the room and stood over my grandfather, keeping my attack pressed on Naji. Dad bellowed a warning as one of the new Fae took physical form. Dad fired a shot at her, but she blocked it and blew it back at him. Instantly, Dad crumpled to the floor, falling against my leg. Mom rolled him over and screamed. The female forced the bullet into Dad’s chest. I could hear him wheezing despite the noise surrounding us. He gasped for air once more, and then the wheezing stopped. Mitch was bawling and begging Dad to wake up. This isn’t happening, not happening…
    The hall filled with the sound of screams. My screams. I directed Quint at the beautiful brunette woman in the hall, cutting her into a dozen chunks of writhing flesh. She flashed out, and then I directed my attack at the two standing behind her. Before the Quint found them, something seared the side of my body. Instinctively, my barrier flared back up, but I hit the wall and lost track of where I was. I was burning, spinning in the darkness, and the pain was excruciating.
    My senses told me that Nija was closing the distance between us. I tried to react, but my nerves were on fire. A burning sensation tore at my left side, my eyes wouldn’t open, and I couldn’t catch my breath. I tried to scream, “ Please don’t kill my family. Somebody help me. Please.” It came out as a sobbing agonized whisper.
    Then I felt him over me. Heat bore down on the parts of my body that weren’t already burning. So this is it?
    I tried to roll away, but the pain only grew worse, making me wonder whether there was any skin on the left side of my body.
    “Get away from her,” Mom snarled.
    I sensed movement, followed by the sound of flesh contacting flesh. I heard her