Tracking Magic: A Rylee Adamson Short Story Read Online Free PDF

turned out to be. A quick glance at Giselle showed me what I was already thinking. This kid was in trouble, but I didn’t think Milly had it in her to be malicious. At least not intentionally. The fear on her was obvious, everything she was doing had been done because she was terrified.
    “Let us go, maybe we can help you,” I said. “I told you I wouldn’t let anyone hurt you,” I took a breath and winced, “I meant it then, I mean it now.”
    The young witch covered her face with her hands and the air within the house quivered like a bow string being pulled taut. Milly’s head snapped up. “He’s here. Oh God, I’m so sorry. He’s here.” She scrabbled away from us as footsteps echoed through the hallway.
    Giselle jerked within her bonds, her eyes bugging out as a brawler of a man sauntered into the living room with us. Broad across the shoulders and all muscle that moved with a predatory grace made me wish the snake had finished me off, but his size wasn’t what made me wish for Seps. There was an aura about him, a presence that my body naturally recoiled from in an uncontrollable attempt to throw myself away from him at all costs.
    You are staring at a demon. My mind told me the truth, but I didn’t want to believe it. Milly had brought a demon into our home—was somehow trapped by one. This was it. We were all going to die.
    The demon, Orion if I believed what I’d been told, stared down at me but spoke to Milly. “Your bonds won’t hold her much longer. She’s an Immune, though it is just beginning for her. Certainly, it won’t be long enough to help save her.” His voice vibrated through me, striking chords of fear I never knew existed. This was terror. This was abject panic when you were bound and helpless and a demon stood in front of you speaking as if you were already dead.
    “Fuck you, you piece of shit asshole eating demon!” The words poured out of me, the pain in my ribs nothing compared to the need to do something, anything.
    His eyebrows rose and he stepped towards me, a smile on his lips. “I like it when they fight.”
    The thing was, once I opened my mouth, I didn’t seem to be able to stop. “Yeah, well tying up women, that’s one way to get your rocks off. I suppose all the other nasty fuckers you hang with think you’re pretty tough. Scaring kids and killing helpless women. What a brave little fucker you are.” I snorted. I actually snorted at him as if he didn’t scare the living piss out of me, as if I would be able to actually stand and face him if the bonds holding me were released.
    Orion continued to smile. “I like this one.” He leaned close, his nose at the hollow of my throat where he took a deep breath. “Ahhh, I see now. A Tracker. I have not met one of your kind for many years. Perhaps I was being too hasty. You could be useful.”
    Shit, that wasn’t exactly an improvement. What was the saying, death before demon enslavement?
    Milly crept closer. “I don’t want to kill them, master. Please, they saved me from Seps.”
    “Did they now? Well, I suppose if you must have pets, then these two will do.” He waved a hand in our general direction. “Wipe their memories. Of everything. You are capable of that much, aren’t you?”
    “Yes, I remember what I’ve been taught. They won’t remember any of this.”
    Orion smiled, reached out and stroked her hair. “You are a good pet. The Reader, that one” he pointed at Giselle, “Give her the madness. It will cover much of what must be done, it will make her doubt everything.” I stared at Giselle, saw the blood drain from her face. She couldn’t speak, couldn’t even fight back. All because of a one tiny piece of magic we never should have gone after. A fucking chunk of rock.
    The demon turned his back on us and I couldn’t hold back one last insult.
    “I’ll kill you, Orion. I will. You will regret the day you let me live you nasty motherfucker!” Oh yeah, not so smart. Why the hell was I