Page 147 of His Darkest Desire

You were useless to him.

No.

You couldn’t free him.

No.

He doesn’t want you.

“No! None of that is true.”

Vex loved her. She’d seen it in his eyes, had felt it radiating in his every touch. She’d felt it in her soul.

You will understand with time, my love, that I am choosing you.

“But you didn’t,” she whispered. “You didn’t.”

Anger ignited inside her. Each ragged breath and thunderous beat of her battered heart fanned the flame until it was a roaring inferno, burning hotter than her agony and heartache.

With a growl, Kinsley shoved herself to her feet. “Damn you!”

Her throat burned as she screamed. The sound echoed through the forest, but she didn’t stop, not even when she heard her name called once more.

“Why? Why did you send me away? You had no right! No right! It was my choice, Vex. Mine! And you…” A hoarse sob escaped her, and her next words came in a broken whisper. “You took it from me.”

She thrust her cold, trembling hands into her hair, gripping the roots until it hurt. It was different from her other pain, but she needed it. She needed something more than the wretched hollowness gnawing at her from within.

“It was my choice,” she repeated quietly as tears spilled from her eyes. “I wanted to stay with you. I want you, Vex. Why…why couldn’t you want me too?”

Vegetation rustled behind her, followed by the snap of a twig.

“Kinsley? Is…is that you?”

Kinsley’s breath caught. She lowered her arms and turned. Large, gentle brown eyes, set in a familiar face, met hers.

“Mum?”

“Oh God, Kinsley!” Emily rushed forward and threw her arms around Kinsley, squeezing her tight. “It’s you. It’s you, oh God, you’re alive. Oh, my baby. I love you so, so much.”

Kinsley kept still, frozen by the shock of having her mother here. She’d made peace long ago with the knowledge that she’d never see her family again. She had accepted that Vex’s realm was her home. Her forever.

But hearing the pain in their voices yesterday had broken her heart anew.

Now her mother was here. Emily Delaney wasn’t just a disembodied voice, lost in the mist. She was with Kinsley right now.

You’re alive.

But Kinsley didn’t feel alive. This…this felt like dying again.

Kinsley wrapped her arms around her mother, clutching at the thick coat she wore. Emily’s sweet peppermint scent filled her nose. “Mum?”

“I’m here, love. I’m here.” She pulled back and cupped Kinsley’s face, wiping away the tears on her cheeks. “You’ll be okay now.”

Emily turned her head and yelled, “Aiden! Cecelia! I found her!”

Two other figures emerged from the trees, running toward them—Kinsley’s father and Aunt Cece.

“Oh, thank God,” Cecelia breathed, wrapping her arms around both Kinsley and Emily. She pressed a kiss to Kinsley’s temple. “We refused to believe we’d never see you again. Where have you been? Are you hurt?”

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