Page 360 of Flirting with Darkness

A mince of thoughts zip through my mind as I struggle with the best way to tell Ross about me and Kharon. Twirling my fingers through my curls, my mind journeys back to the ski lift. Maybe I should start at the beginning? But before I can part my lips, the sound of raised voices near my uncle’s office draws my attention.

This can’t be good.

26

KHARON

“Lord Elysian,” I begin, my tone trembling. I keep my eyes on Moirai’s stone but dart a cautious glance between Elysian and Dalcour. “Please, I implore you, if you ever felt an ounce of kinship for me, do not do anything rash.”

“Do not dare speak to me of kinship, my boy!” He snaps. “You stand here. In my chamber. A changed man. Not even a semblance of the grotesque thing I saw of you last night remains. How? I do not know. All I know is because of you, I thought my son dead. Because of you I missed time which cannot be replaced. So do not speak to me of kinship. My kin—my son laid in repose at your hand! Yet even now, you offer no apology, but you stand in my very presence bartering for a wretched stone!”

“Steady yourself, my lord,” Dalcour adds, patting Elysian’s shoulder. “Not only am I certain Changeling witchery is responsible for his new appearance, but I’d all but guess this stone has something to do with it.”

“Once again your arrogance proceeds you.” I grumble. It’s taking all of my willpower to restrain myself. I don’t want to do anything reckless to endanger my sister. But I swear if they break her stone, I shall release a fury the likes of neither vampires nor wolves have ever seen. “Whatever you think you know of Changelings or the relics of time long before your pathetic existence came to be, is but a fraction of how dire things can become if you are not careful.”

Dalcour’s brows raise, and I see the glint of his crimson eyes search mine. Altrinion vampires have the ability to read most mortal minds. But I am not mortal. I can tell he’s trying hard to read me. Unfortunately for him, his attempts will be like hitting a brick wall.

“Do not waste time trying to read my mind, vampire!” I shout, stopping him from ogling me further. “Unlike these, I am no mere mortal. But if you want the truth, I’ll tell you this: if even an ounce of that stone is damaged in the slightest, I’ll release the fires of Sheol where you stand.”

“Monster!” Elysian shrieks, banging his cane against the floor.

As much as I want to keep Dalcour the target of my ire, I’ve grown tired of Elysian’s waffling stance. Last night I was his golden boy and all that stood between Lux and Winter. This morning, however, I am the monster. Oh if he only knew just how monstrous I could truly be!

Tightening my jaw, I lock my fists at my side. It’s all I can do to halt the fiery sensation burning my palms. “If you’d have me be the monster for the role I played in your son’s disappearance, then so be it. For yes, Melchior was held captive in my care. But as I said last night, he was not my prisoner. While I may have seemed to you to be free, I can assure you I was not. Both he and I were in shared captivity, that I can assure you. But if you want to look for a monster look no further than the one at your side! Lord Marchand is hardly the prince of civility he’d lead you to believe.”

“Trading insults, are we, Nyx?” Dalcour sneers, cackling aloud as he claps his hands. “I’m pretty sure kidnapping someone, framing their death, all to trick their daughter into marriage is quite a spell.”

“Well would you call the vulgar escapades of you and your kind over the years? Oh that’s right, vampire, I know. The countless lives you’ve taken at your leisure. The blood baths held in brothels at your behest. How many mothers have lost sons and fathers their daughters? So do not stand self-righteous before me. I know exactly who you are! And when time comes for me to ferry your soul to hell, I’ll be all too eager to ensure your voyage is fitting your revolting life.”

Dalcour parts his lips to respond, but Elysian halts him, pressing his cane against Dalcour’s brawn chest.

“You dare spit out his monstrosities as though it should wipe clean your slate. I know not the mothers nor fathers that may or may not lament for Lord Marchand’s supposed crimes. But I do know him. Never has he pretended to be anything more than he is. From the first day, I’ve always known who and what I was dealing with. But you—Kharon, I thought of you like a son. So much so, I literally offered my daughter to you—like a fool! You not only stole my son! You made a fool of me! For that, I will never forgive you!”

Watching the glassy pools thickening the corners of Elysian’s eyes hurts me more than he’ll ever believe. This is not what I wanted.

Swallowing my pride, I lift a hand in surrender. “Please, Lord Elysian, I know there is probably no barter I could pay to make up for the ill I’ve caused you and your family. I can only hope, that in time, you would come to forgive—no understand my choices were not my own. But again, I implore you—do whatever you must to me—but please, I beg you, do not hurt the stone!”

“Ah-hem,” Lux’s brother calls from the corner as he and the woman continue holding Moirai’s stone. “Lord Marchand, perhaps we should hear him out. I’ve never known one to lament over a stone. Surely, there must be more.”

My heart smiles at even his notion of consideration. Looking at the woman, I presume to be his mate at his side, the care in her eyes as she regards me is almost reticent. Although it was both Lux and his brother who stole my obol, I see more kindness behind his eyes than that of Dalcour.

“Perhaps,” Dalcour answers, rubbing his chin. “He could be bluffing. For all we know he’ll use this very stone to thwart us where we stand.”

Looking over my shoulder, a dark growl rumbles through me as Dalcour and I lock eyes. I’ve grown tired of his tyrannic stance. Lifting my hands, I summon a gale of dark wind. The oak shutters on the windows shake and the cloth covering the transom blows, allowing fissures of light into the room. Lux’s brother and his mate crowd to the darkest corner while the face of another less fortunate vampire singes by the sun. The vampire releases a screeching cry, and Dalcour rushes toward me, but I raise a palm in his direction, holding him back. Although I have no desire to kill anyone. I will. I’ll kill them all.

“Nyx!” Lux’s brother shouts from the corner. “Don’t do this! Abigail and I will keep the stone safe!”

My eyes darken as the wind whips around the room. Dalcour’s skin turns leathery red, and his true vampiric face comes into view. Small flames ignite from my palms, and I have every intention of ending this. “Give me one reason!” I belt out.

“Because you love her!” The woman, I now know as Abigail, yells across the room.

Abigail’s words give me pause and I look over my shoulder at her and Lux’s brother. With a trembling hand, she points to the door, and I see Rae, with Ross and Stephen behind her, now at the threshold.

27

RAE

Nothing but darkness swirls around the room and I can barely see anything or anyone. But I see Kharon.

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