Page 145 of Dark Fate

Rhyland's warning is laced with command. "Angel, stop. Don’t feed him hope."

A sigh escapes, heavy with the burden of uncharted truths.

How can I paint a picture of the possibility for him to see?

I ponder, imagining the roles reversed. The thought solidifies my resolve—understanding dawns that in love, sometimes the unknown and the unseen are worth every perilous step into the void.

"What would you do if it was me?" I send the thought into Rhyland's mind.

He snaps his head, eyes burning with a fierce, predatory fire. "Stop. Don't you ever fucking think that way... This—us—is a whole different game. I'd gladly take a one-way ticket to hell and sell my soul if it meant saving yours. What that fucker did is beyond forgiveness,Dani."

I throw a sidelong glance atRhyland. "Rhyland, no one's downplaying the backstab bingo we're in. But humor me with a 'what if.' What he says is true—and I'm getting my mother out of the pit. Let’s not tunnel vision on the betrayal. The truth is, we're neck-deep in bizarre, babe, and I’d wager we haven’t even scratched the surface on this episode of 'As the Otherworld Turns.'"

Adrianglances at us, his expression a mixture of uncertainty and amusement. "Um, should I give you two a moment alone? I’d take off and let you talk, but..." He raises his wrists, the sound of chains clinking together punctuating his predicament, "I'm not exactly free to move around."

I slip some reprieve into my tone, easing off the throttle. "No, it... it's fine. We're on our way out as it is. We've got realms to save and villains to thwart, remember?"

Adrianlooks earnest, his request carrying the weight of his earlier actions. "I realize this might sound insane, and you have every right to say no, but could I come with you? I want to help. I need to make things right, Danica, please. Give me that chance."

Before I can even grasp the full meaning of his question,Rhyland's roar shreds the air, "Hell fucking no! Totally out of the question! You think I'm an idiot? To let you waltz back into our—"

"Yes," I say. "That's mighty big of you,Adrian. All hands on deck, right? We're not exactly swimming in allies—so your help? We’ll take it."

A quick, coy sidelong peek atRhyland's handsome face twisted in ire, and despite the gravity of the predicament, I can't help but let a rogue smirk play across my lips. Overruling the Viking vampire's verdict adds an unexpected thrill to this perilous chess game. With a buoyant step, I pivot and ascend the stairs, leaving behind the cell—and his simmering dominance.

As I contemplate the future, a flicker of devilish anticipation sparkles in my thoughts.

Will there be repercussions for this bold move? Abso-fucking-lutely.

I'm practically betting on it, counting onRhyland's own brand of impassioned retribution. It's a price I’m willing—and secretly eager—to pay.

Rhyland

67

Iburst out of the cell, the heavy metal door slamming shut behind me with a resounding clang that echoes through the dank, stone corridor. The sound mirrors the fury surging through my veins.Adrian's words and audacity linger in the musty air, but I shove them aside. My focus is solely on the woman who dared to challenge me.

Dani, with her bold defiance and nerve to question my authority, sets my thoughts ablaze with a rage fiercer than hell itself. I storm forward, muscles coiled tight, every alpha instinct honed by the fury propelling me. I'm a man possessed, a predator on the hunt, tracking her with single-minded determination.

Her footsteps echo through the stone passages, each one drawing me closer. But this flame isn’t born of desire; it's a raging wildfire of pure anger. She appears on the staircase, her lithe figure exuding strength and grace that normally ignites a different hunger within me. But not now. Now, the sight of her only fuels my fury.

In three long strides, I close the distance between us. My hand shoots out to grab her arm and spin her around. I yank her close, forcing her to face me, my eyes blazing. She meets my gaze, defiant and unafraid, which only serves to fuel my rage further.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" My voice is a dangerous growl, each word sharp.

Dani, ever defiant, doesn't even flinch. She stands her ground, her honey-gold eyes locking onto mine. "Giving him a chance—"

"A chance?" I spit out the word. "After that traitor sold us out? Are you out of your mind?"

Even in the face of my anger, her gaze never wavers. "Love makes people do crazy things," she counters, her voice a calm blade slicing through my anger.

I'm a hurricane of fury, a tempest of wrath, and her damned tranquility only serves to fan the flames. I want to grab her by the shoulders and shake some fucking sense into her—or maybe shake the insanity out of her. But I can't. My hands, my heart, they're tied. No matter how infuriating or maddening this woman can be, she's the one I love with every fiber of my being, the one who brings me to my knees.

"How can you think about trusting him after the torment he put me through?" The words rip from my throat, ragged and raw.

Dani's eyes gleam with emotions, twisting a knife of pain deep in my chest. Seeing her tears threaten to fall has always been my Achilles' heel.

"I know—but what if he can help?" Her voice fractures, each word a shard of glass piercing my heart. "I have no clue how to save my mother fromMoretemis,Rhyland.Adrianhas knowledge that I don't."

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