Page 9 of The Darkness

His eyes narrowed on her. “When we part?”

“You don’t understand.”

“Then explain it to me.”

“Regan is coming for me.”

Gina didn’t mention the hellhounds, though she wasn’t sure why; maybe she didn’t want to scare him off completely.

“When will she be here?”

Gina shrugged. “Tomorrow, maybe tonight, I don’t know, but she’s searching for me, and shewillfind me. Besides, I was always going back. I just wanted to see something of life before—” She broke off and swallowed. “I have to go back. This was only ever a break from reality for me.”

“Reality? Well, change reality. You don’t have to go back. I can keep you safe from your sister. She can manage without you.”

Her anger rose then. “You understand nothing of what we do. Do you think we were brought into existence merely to perform party tricks at your command, to give you pretty visions of the future? That is nothing. We have duties to perform, without which the world would descend into chaos.”

“What duties?”

“We lead the souls of the dead away from the land of the living. Without us the world would sink under their weight. Besides…”

“Besides?”

She got to her feet, crossed the floor, and drew back the curtain. The room was instantly lit with the crimson flashes. “This is because of me.”

“I don’t understand.”

How could he? “Magic has to be paid for,” she said. “Oh, not the glamours and tricks…” She gestured to her long hair, and it vanished. “They cost nothing. But proper earth magic has a price. I had to use it to black out the sun—that was the only way I could save Raven. But now the world is out of balance. This”—she gestured at the night sky—“will get worse until I have paid.”

“Paid how?”

“I don’t know the details,” she lied. “Perhaps I will have to return to the Shadowlands.” Well, at least that was the truth; she had no doubts she would be visiting the Shadowlands very soon.

“Do you want some company?”

Panic flared inside her. “You cannot follow. It is forbidden.”

His eyes narrowed. “One day you will come back?”

“Perhaps.” She forced a smile.

He was regarding her curiously. “Have you seen our future?”

Gina frowned at the question, then shook her head. “No, I haven’t had a vision of the future since before Raven was born. I think my gift may have passed to her.”

“Yes, Kael mentioned she has the sight.”

“Then I pity her.”

“There’s no need. She’s happy now with Kael, and besides, she’s strong.”

“I hope so. She’ll have to be.”

“So,” Darius said. “Where does this leave us?”

She turned away from him, schooled her expression to grimness. He needed to understand this. “Thereisno us,” she said, turning back. “There can never be an us. Tonight is all we have.”

He stared at her for a minute longer, his expression blank. “Then I think I’ll forgo the evening’s entertainment. If I just wanted sex, there are plenty of willing partners without the problems. Maybe they’re still up next door.”

He turned from her and walked out. The door slammed shut behind him. Gina stared at it without seeing, a desperate urge to call him back rising within her. She bit her lip to stop the words from tumbling out.

Running to the door, she opened it and caught sight of his figure disappearing down the stairs. Something relaxed inside her. She didn’t know what she would have done if he’d gone next door.

She started shaking then. Sinking to the floor, she curled into a ball and wept.

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