Page 132 of The Dark Rising
I narrow my eyes, wondering what in the Gods he’s doing when a breeze catches my hood, blowing it down and revealing my hair that I braided. Darius’s head snaps my way, like my hair was a beacon in the moonlight and I freeze.
Fuck,fuck.
His mouth moves, and the others look over at me. I see their eyes widen before they look at the other Elites near me who have paused to do the same. I swallow and look at the Elites surrounding me from the corner of my eye, gripping my blade tight but keeping my back straight.
Show no weakness.
Black mist spreads along Darius’s body until two masses form behind him, thick and moving viciously as he begins to stalk over toward me. I hold my ground and wait, wait for whatever is about to happen because I just fucked up. My heart beats wildly and I lick my dry lips behind the mask, nervous of how this will go.
An Elite moves closer to me from the left and I turn slightly, looking at the stern face and brown eyes full of curiosity.
“And who are you?” he asks, his voice gravely as he looks me over, pausing on my armor-covered chest.
I tilt my head at him. “Who are you?” I repeat, keeping an eye on some of the other Elites as they come closer.
He chuckles, reaching out a black, covered hand. “I’m Maverick.”
I look at the hand he’s holding out and study it. Will he attack me if I reach out, do I back up and head toward Darius? I look at another Elite out of the corner of my eye before I tentatively place my hand in his, my body stiffening in case of an attack. But all he does is grip my hand gently, giving it a squeeze and then releases it when a growl rumbles through the air.
My spine straightens, and my head snaps toward Darius, ignoring the pain thrumming at my side. He comes to a stop a few feet away from us, the other Elites moving closer, stopping at the arrival of their Alpha. Darius’s nostrils flare, his eyes going to my hand and then to Maverick’s before looking him dead in the eye and snarling.
“Do not touch her, Maverick,” he growls low from his chest, the sound seemingly echoing in mine and filling my body with his possessiveness. My heart beats painfully as he comes closer to me, not stopping until he’s at my side. Leo, Damian, Zaide, and Jerrod move closer, forming a semicircle around us.
“I did not know the little warrior was off limits, Alpha,” Maverick says, dipping his head in respect. “I hear you loud and clear.”
“Make sure you remember that,” Darius says before raising his voice. “Make sure all of you remember that.” Then his eyes move to me, cold and furious. “What the fuck are you doing out here,” he growls. “Can you just do as your fucking told for once!”
My hackles rise. “I’m not a fucking dog,” I snap at him. “And I wanted to help. You tried to lock me in the room again, who do you think you are doing that?” I go to shove at his chest, angry at him for thinking he can order me around, but two things happen simultaneously.
The Elites gasp when I put my hands on their Alpha, the tension rising at wanting to take my hands off of him but knowing they can’t, and then me hissing in pain, the move causing my side to stretch and more blood to trickle out of it.
Darius stops me in a second, turning me to look at my side as I try to swat him away. “Still,” he commands, an edge to his voice as he bends down to get a closer look. “It’s not deep, make sure to concentrate on the wound with your magic like you did before, make it heal faster.”
“I am, asshat,” I mutter, my cheeks heating with all the attention on us right now. I’m not sure if Darius knows or even cares that his Elites are looking at him like he grew a second head. “You’re hurt,” I say, looking at his arm and not liking seeing him bleeding there.
He pauses for a moment when I reach out and touch around the wound. “I’m fine,” he murmurs, standing straight and looking down at me. Anger still swirls in his eyes, but concern shines through it. “Elites,” he commands, and they come toward their Alpha. Those in wolf form shift back, unbothered about their nakedness and I try not to blush at all the male forms in my vision.
My gaze moves back to Darius warily, wondering what he’s doing. I wasn’t exactly wanting to be seen here. The men that are tied up by their ankles curse and whimper, laying on the ground behind Jerrod. I glance at them in confusion as Darius waves a hand and Jerrod and Damian drag them forward before him, landing in between Maverick and I.
“These men are traitors,” Darius says, his voice loud and clear and my heart skips a beat. “I am Alpha of the Elites, I am Heir to Cazier. Those who do not like that, now is your one and only time to openly challenge me and I will not take your life.”
I swallow hard, my hand flexing on the hilt of the blade at his open challenge. I look around and see some Elites shuffle on their feet. Nervousness can be felt from everyone, coming in all directions while some have faces of fury at the two men at Darius’s feet. My gaze moves down at the two men on the ground and startle as their eyes land on me.
“Evil,” one spits, and I flinch. “You’re one of them, aren’t you? Your kind should have never been born, you should have been hung as a babe and fed to wild wolves.” Darius lifts his foot and kicks the man in his face, blood spurting from his nose as he cries out.
“Why is he saying that to you?” Maverick asks me, and I look at him and then Darius, seeing his black mist like tails suddenly swishing behind him.
“Remove your mask and show them, Rhea,” he tells me, and I hear Maverick suck in a sharp breath, no doubt at my name.
I shoot Darius a questioning look and wonder if he is sure. He nods, his eyes hard but a sliver of softness I’m not used to seeing shines through. It’s that little light in his green eyes that makes me reach up behind my head and untie my mask, knowing he will protect me from what this may cause. I bring the material off of my face slowly, breathing heavily as I’m revealed to those around me.
Mutters and curse words float around me now that they know who I am. Some are just shocked while others are downright full of disgust. My anger builds at that.
“You are a stain.”
“Murderer.”
“Traitorous piece of shit.”
