Page 19 of Tasting Darkness

"Just thinking."

“You’re worried about her finding out her parents are alive,” Tobias says, and I sigh. That isn’t what I’m worried about.

“You might as well tell me. We will find out anyway,” Tobias says as we stop at the edge of the obstacle course. “What the fuck is that?” he says, looking at the climbing wall. He points, and I follow his finger to notice something torn apart and bloody perched on top of the wall.

Sniffing the air, I can tell there’s blood in the air. I growl, stalking toward it to see better, yet the closer we get, the more unidentifiable it becomes.

“Are you going to answer?” Tobias asks as we climb the hill toward the center of the obstacle course.

“What if I did kill someone?” I ask, and Tobias stops. He looks at me, and I look toward the forest, unable to meet his gaze.

“I think she would understand you killing your father, Darius.”

“Not him,” I admit. Tobias seems taken aback, and his shock hits me through the bond. I swallow, and he steps closer before grabbing my arm and shaking me.

“What did you do?” he snarls.

“I killed him,” I tell Tobias. Though I had a reason, but it is also another reason for her to hate me when she finds out.

“Who?”

“Grayson,” I tell him. Tobias lets me go and tilts his head to the side.

“No, I was there; her parents were alive. I would have seen you do it?” But he also knows I’m not lying. Just hoping I was.

“It was when I went back in,” I tell him.

“Darius!”

“So you fucking killed them?” Tobias demands, waves of shock hitting his face.

“No, her mother got away, and she is lucky she did because I would have killed her too, but,” I tried to explain.

“You killed her father?” he asks again. I nod.

"Fuck Darius! How could you keep this from me?”

“She already assumed I killed them, and I didn't think. He was a fucking elder.” I let out a breath.

“He is also guilty for unleashing the fucking plague. You could have told me!” says Tobias, forever my defender. I swallow guiltily. I never killed him for what he did to Aleera but for what he said to me.

“Fuck! Darius, she would be pissed knowing they were alive, but to find out you actually did kill them?” Tobias shakes his head.

“Her father! Her mother is still alive,” I tell him, and he clutches his hair and curses.

“Anything else I need to fucking know?” he asks, and I press my lips in a line.

“There is more, isn't there? You're fucking unbelievable,” he says, storming off toward the obstacle course. Tobias climbs the climbing wall, grabbing whatever it is and ripping it off, letting it fall to the ground in a heap.

“We agreed on no secrets, Darius! What else?” he snaps, jumping from the top and landing beside me.

“Darius!”

"Shut up," I say, squatting next to the torn-apart creature or what is left of it. Tobias growls and walks off, and I see him pick up something on the other side of the wall before tossing it at my feet. It’s a cow head. I take a step back.

“It's a cow,” Tobias says, and I look at the climbing wall.

“Now, how did a cow get up there?” I ask, and Tobias growls.

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