Page 4 of The Darkness

Chapter Three

Gina closed the door and stood for a minute, her forehead pressed against the cool, smooth wood. When she turned, Darius was prowling the hotel room, examining everything, picking up her belongings, holding them to his face, putting them down again.

It was actually a suite of rooms, consisting of a comfortable sitting area and a large bedroom. It didn’t take him long to circle the entire sitting room; she didn’t have many possessions. He came back to stand in front of her.

“What are you doing here?” he asked, almost gently.

She frowned. “Shouldn’t that be my question? This is my room.”

“That wasn’t quite what I meant.” He sank down onto the sofa and patted the seat beside him. “Come and sit with me.”

“I’d rather stand.”

He tilted his head to the side, considering her intently, but didn’t argue. Instead, he relaxed against the cushions, his arms stretched out along the back of the sofa and watched her through half-closed eyes. “I presumed, when you disappeared so quickly, that you’d gone back to your sisters.”

“No.”

“Well, obviously not. I think I’d notice if the old harridans were hidden away here.” He sniffed the air. “I’d smell them.”

She almost smiled at his words. He’d never liked her sisters, and to be fair, they hadn’t done anything to make him like them. Quite the opposite, in fact. Now, Gina turned away to hide the wave of anguish washing over her at the memory of all her sisters had done.

Her eldest sister, Regan, had always been like a mother to her, and she was quite aware that Regan would have happily killed Darius twenty-two years ago. Gina had stood in her way back then, but Regan’s bitterness had festered until she was willing to use anything, including Gina’s daughter, to settle the score.

It had taken her a long time to forgive her sister, but in the end, Gina had come to accept that Regan had only done what she believed was needed to protect her and Raven.

Now Gina was beyond even her sister’s protection.

She turned back. Darius still watched her, and she shifted under his gaze, uncomfortable. She looked around the room, searching for something to say. “Would you like a drink?”

His eyes darkened even more. “Are you offering?”

His gazed flicked back to her throat, and she realized what she’d said. Heat rose in her cheeks, and her mouth went dry. “I’ve got beer in the fridge.”

“Spoilsport,” he murmured. Then he shrugged. “A beer would be good.”

She got him a bottle from the minibar, and then took one for herself; it would give her something to do with her hands, something to hide behind. She handed him the opened bottle, then stood in front of him, not sure what to do. Though there was one thing she desperately needed to know. Did he have news of Raven? Her heart softened as she thought of their beautiful daughter. It would make it all worthwhile if only Raven were safe and happy.

“Tell me about Raven,” she said. “How is she?”

He raised an eyebrow. “You expect me to believe you care?”

“Just tell me.”

He shrugged. “She’s fine. Better than fine. She and Kael were married five days ago. As you would have known if you’d stayed around after the fight instead of taking off.”

Gina ignored the comment. She couldn’t have stayed; it was impossible. She would have only caused more hurt to her daughter if she had. But something relaxed inside her at the news of Raven’s marriage. Kael was a good man, a shape-shifter and head of the Council. He had risked everything to save Raven. Now Gina would trust him to keep her safe.

She opened her mouth to speak, but at that moment, a dog barked in the distance, and her gaze flew to the window. She knew it was a dog, not a hellhound, but it reminded her that her time was running out. She didn’t want Darius anywhere near when they found her. Even a vampire as old as Darius might be no match for a pair of hellhounds.

She had to get him away from her and soon.

“For God’s sake, relax,” Darius muttered. “I’m not going to leap on you.” He gave her a long look out of those dark eyes. “Well, not unless you ask me very, very nicely.”

∞∞∞

Darius watched her reaction to his words. She was nervous, her eyes flickering to the window, her whole body jumping at every sound.

Gina was afraid of something, and if she feared him, then she was only being sensible. However, he was aware that fear was not the only reaction she was feeling to his presence. She was also aroused, and that was as far from sensible as it was possible to get. He could scent the perfume of her arousal in the air, and his hunger was rising.

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