Page 26 of Prince with a Chance of Darkness

Teya stared into the darkness for what felt like an eternity before her blue gaze returned to him. “They are of no interest to her.”

“Then why does she care if they are taken to safety? Does she hate Vlad so much she wishes to torture him, because we both know if the vampire-twin is taken from him, he will not react well.”

Something rustled in the darkness and Lucian watched as thousands of black beetles scurried in from every angle, all converging on the darkness. The sound left he and his wolf drawing back, unnerved beyond belief.

A slender arm, made entirely of living and moving black beetles, reached forth from the darkness, its hand forming a pointing motion. It was pointing at him.

He jerked back, realizing this was the forest witch’s doing. A sharp wind came from the right, pushing at him, lifting his hair and tugging at his clothing. He knew that was the witch’s doing as well.

Teya’s giggle rode the night air, adding to the depravity. “If you love him like a brother… If you want the best for him, this must occur. And if you want any kind of a future, you will see this through to the end.”

“My future will be limited seeing as how Vlad will hunt me down and peel my skin from my body slowly, making me wish for death,” added Lucian.

Teya shrugged. “Death is a form of release from your maker’s hold.”

The was true.

Lucian thought harder about what was being asked of him. He narrowed his gaze on the beetle-formed arm. “I get why you might want the wolf-twin taken to where the others are—especially if she is Harker’s mate. But why are you pushing so hard for Vlad and the vampire-twin to be separated?

“It is not time for them yet,” said Teya.

“Them who?”

She giggled. “Don’t be daft, Dark One. You already know. You and your wolf sensed it.”

He stiffened, knowing he’d confided in Katarina about his suspicions of Vlad’s response to the vampire-twin. “She might be Vlad’s mate, right?”

Teya simply stared at him, neither confirming or denying his words. “Do you care for him? Love him like a brother?”

Lucian nodded.

Teya smiled more, her fangs catching the moonlight. “Be warned, Dark One,” she said, her voice no longer sounding like her own. “There is a great darkness in his line. A great evil is rising. It will pit brother against brother.” She tipped her headand Lucian got the feeling the forest witch was speaking through her now, not just to her. “Brother of his heart. Brother of his blood. Betrayer.

Lucian fought the urge to react to the name—the truth. He was a betrayer. He knew he was on the edge of madness. That he was close to falling into it—close to becoming the evil Teya and the forest witch believed him to be.

Teya stepped back and motioned to the darkened area. The darkness lifted.

Lucian expected to find an old hag there. Instead, there were bags and boxes. He approached and bent, opening one of the bags. It held passports and other paperwork. When he opened one of the passports, he saw one of the twins. He wasn’t sure which. “Mina Murray,” he said softly, reading the name. He looked up quickly. “She is named after our Mina?”

Teya’s smile widened. “They both are. One is Willa. The other is Mina.”

Lucian tried to wrap his mind around it all. Could he do it? It was one thing betraying Vlad when he thought it was just to release Dragos in hopes of Dragos finally ending his suffering. It was something else entirely betraying Vlad when the woman Lucian may be taking from him was his mate.

Teya touched his shoulder. “Baba Koreneva has seen to it the girls have what is needed for you to take them.”

“He won’t let it happen,” said Lucian. “Vlad rarely, if ever leaves the side of the vampire-twin. He will not permit me to be alone with her so that I can take her.”

Teya giggled. “Baba Koreneva will assure Vlad sleeps so soundly he hears nothing. You must act quickly.”

He stood slowly, the passport in his hand. “Why do you sound sane?”

“Even a broken clock is right twice a day.” She giggled and skipped away, leaving him to weigh his choices.

Chapter Nine

Mina

Mill Hollow,South Carolina, two weeks later…

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