Demon Street Blues by Starla Silver Read Free Book Online Page B

time. Was he simply doomed to fail, and this was the moment the switch, flipped?
    Desires he’d locked away over a century ago clawed their way toward freedom. The darkness hidden deep inside, wanted out. Craving escape.
    Melinda was no longer just a girl under his watchful eye. She’d turned instantly into a woman with desires that needled their way into his blood, leaving behind a hungry ache he could never satisfy.
    He needed to put out this fire, and fast. Before he did something he could never take back. Before he hurt her…
    He was protector to the Howard Witches.
    This was his solemn duty.
    This was his purpose for existing. To make amends for all the things he’d done before he’d found The Demon Isle, and come to serve the Howard Witches.
    Melinda needed his help.
    He focused on this one thing…
    He looked up and saw that she’d followed him to his desk.
    Melinda absentmindedly ran her fingers across the surface of his desk, admiring the Demon Isle Oak. It had probably been built back when William had first come to live with the Howards. Over a hundred years ago now. It was Sturdy. Dependable. Would always be there… just like William. She let calm wash over her, regaining her focus.
    William’s cravings subsided. His focus firmly on the task at hand. Saving Emily and making sure Melinda’s dream did not come true.
    “What will we do about Emily?” Melinda croaked out. “I want to keep Charlie and Michael out of this if we can.”
    “I will not allow anything tragic to befall dear Emily. She is as precious to me as the three of you.”
    “Emily is practically like family, huh? I just wish Michael would see it.”
    “He does see it. This is the problem, however. He sees her as another bar on his prison cell.”
    “The Demon Isle being his prison,” Melinda noted.
    William nodded. “Tell me each detail regarding your dream.” He took on a business like demeanor, taking a seat behind his desk.
    “Okay. Um… Emily had just locked the front door at the bookstore and unplugged the open sign. She was holding a few books in her arms heading to shelve the books before leaving. As Emily often does, she gets sidetracked browsing through the books she’s putting away. She gets all but one back on the shelf, opening the last one, and is surfing through the pages.” Melinda paused, recalling the details of her dream. 
    “What are you remembering?”
    “It’s odd, William. That ring Emily wears. She can’t see it, because her hand is hidden behind the book, but the ring is glimmering. Kind of a fiery color.”
    “That’s very intriguing.” Nothing came to mind as an explanation however.
    “After the ring starts to glimmer, Emily drops the book and is screaming that it’s burning her and she’s trying to force the ring off her finger. It takes her a second, but she gets it off. And then… she’s lying on the floor, dead,” Melinda ended hastily.
    “Just like that? Falls dead?” the vampire grilled, not believing her. 
    “No. Not, just like that. I really don’t want to see the next part again, William.”
    “Melinda. This gift you possess is meant to save lives. You cannot leave out the parts you do not wish to see again, however difficult they might be to relive.”
    “Why not? Isn’t it enough to know we need to find out more about Emily’s ring?”
    He waited in silent defiance, tossing her a severe stare.
    “Fine,” Melinda gave in begrudgingly. Sexy dreams or not, she could never say no to William.
    “After Emily takes off the ring, she starts having some kind of seizure. At first she’s swatting at something, but it’s either invisible or out of my range to see, and she just stops. Her arms drop to her sides and she falls to the floor. She’s on her back and her eyes… her eyes are open, frozen with this look of complete fear.” Melinda’s voice dropped, getting raspy as she continued. “She’s alone, William. Totally alone and scared when she dies. And… that is where