Page 54 of Dark Desire
“What’s that?” he asked, eyeing it with suspicion.
“Not sure yet,” I lied, placing it under my arm. My heart felt like it was about to implode.
“So when are you two love birds off to travel the world?” Evie smiled at us, but I could feel the tension manifesting in Zoran’s body next to me because he must have been able to sense my anxiety.
“Very soon. In fact, this may be the last time you see me.” I offered her a tight smile, and she pouted before pulling me in for another hug. “Thank you, Evie. For hiring me despite my zero experience and limited photography background. And for everything else these last few months.”
“No. Thank you! What am I going to do without my world-class photographer now? But I can’t wait for you to send me some of the pictures you take on your adventures. Keep in touch, won’t you, Darcie?”
I nodded, pressing my lips together. “I’ll try.” It was the best answer I could give, seeing as I wouldn’t be around to make those kinds of promises.
As soon as Zoran and I stepped back onto the street, he grabbed my arm and dragged me down a tiny alleyway, out of sight. Caging me against the wall, he grabbed my jaw and tilted my head up so I could see the rage in his beautiful eyes.
“Stop this.”
“What?” I breathed, although my eyes were already filled with unshed tears.
“Saying goodbye. You aren’t going anywhere, Darcie. I won’t let it happen.”
“You can’t stop it,” I whispered, lifting my hand to his face. “I know you want to, more than anything, but you just can’t. It will happen, Zoran, and you need to accept it.”
“No, I don’t,” he growled, stepping into me until his body pressed mine against the wall. I sighed, pulling the brown envelope between us and ripping it open. Without even looking down, I pulled the magical, wordless parchment out as he frowned at it.
“It’s from The Fates. A seeker must have delivered it,” I explained as he released me and took a step back. We both stared at the paper until beautiful handwritten scripture appeared across the page as if it was being written with an invisible pen.
No more must die. But you. Tonight. Say your goodbyes.
Zoran grabbed the paper and ripped it in half with a roar.
Chapter Eighteen
“What isshedoing here?” Beryl yelled the moment I stepped through her cottage door. Holding Zoran’s hand, I rested my head against his bicep and smiled at her sweetly. “Get your man-eating hands off my nephew and get out!”
“She’s welcome, Beryl, and she can eat me anytime,” Zoran replied, which made me snort. His deeper voice, laced with Ambroz’s presence, made me glance up at him. He was half-shifted — his demon horns, piercing black eyes, and fangs on show — but other than that, he still looked like Zoran. My disbelieving eyes snapped back to Beryl, knowing she was either about to have a heart attack or scream. Instead, she stood calmly in the middle of her living room, staring into his eyes with a dazed expression.
“Okay,” she replied immediately and I frowned. What the… Ambroz’s influence retreated and Beryl blinked, casting her eyes back to me with a deep frown of disapproval, but she didn’t try to kick me out again.Oh my gods! Could he hypnotise humans?That explained so much. Why the police believed a wolf dug upthe grave. Why Beryl thought he was her human nephew and let him live under her roof. Why he had everyone in this village wrapped around his finger.
He shot me a wink.
“I’ll be changing her memory of all of this in five minutes, so… if you’ve got something to say to her, now is your chance,” he said before climbing the stairs to get changed and leaving me alone with my nemesis. I smiled as she glared, walking towards the sofa and taking a seat.
“You know it’s rude not to offer a visitor a drink, Beryl. I’ll take a cup of coffee, please.”
“You are a guest of Zachary’s, not mine. He can make you a drink,” she argued, sitting down in her armchair but keeping her lethal glare on me. I scoffed, shaking my head. I admired her tenacity. She stuck to her guns, even when hypnotised.
“No bother.” I shrugged. “I’ll make myself one.” Using my magic, I turned the kettle on in the kitchen without moving a muscle. Her face scrunched up with confusion when she heard it. And then her eyes widened and her hands trembled around her walking stick. I smiled. “Yes, Beryl. You were right all along. I am a witch.”
Her mouth dropped open, and for the first time, I saw pure fear in the old woman’s eyes that made me soften towards her. Clearly, thinking I was and knowing I was aren’t the same. No matter how much she hated me, I didn’t actually want to frighten her.
“You don’t need to fear me, Beryl. I’ve never harmed a human in my life and I do not intend to start with you.”
“I knew it. Wh-what do you want from me and St Wythren? Why are you here?” she questioned, her voice still trembling.
I smiled sadly and exhaled. “Nothing. I want nothing from you. And I’m only here because of that man upstairs. I’ve been trying to find him for months, you see. And the history thisvillage has with witches was my last chance at finding him. But... it turns out, he found me first.”
“Zachary? What do you want with my Zachary?” she panicked.
“Zoran,” his deep voice travelled down the stairs before he appeared at the bottom. Her gaze slammed into him with confusion. “Beryl, my name is Zoran and I’m not your cousin’s son. Nor am I human.”
