Page 113 of Empire of Dark

I tapped it and looked up, only to have to hit the brakes, sending the SUV skidding to a stop.

Damen.

When my head was down, my eyes on the screen, Damen had appeared, standing directly in my pathway.

The gate opening behind him, gravel dust floated around his body and I’d never seen him look more like an ancient vengeful god than I did now.

He stared at me through the windshield, not moving.

I stared back, my heart shredding into tiny little strips that slipped through my fingers, lost to the wind.

Seconds that lasted lifetimes stretched between us, neither of us moving.

Until I could take it no more and I yanked the steering wheel to the left and stepped down on the accelerator.

I drove around him.

He didn’t stop me.

Chapter Thirty

{ DAMEN }

I couldn’t lift a finger to block her. Couldn’t utter a word.

Couldn’t do one damn thing to stop her.

Ada was going to leave one way or another, there would be no stopping her. That much I was confident in.

“Ada—Ada—Ada!” Her arms pumping hard, Venetia ran from the castle, screaming at the SUV that was tearing out past the courtyard gate. “Ada!”

Staring at the vehicle, she skidded to a stop next to me, fury filling her amber eyes. She whipped that fury toward me. “Where is Ada going?”

I stiffened, glaring down at her. “You’re supposed to be in the safe room.”

“Where is Ada going?” Her fury exploded, her scream reaching a high pitch.

I set my hand on her shoulder, mostly to keep her from running down the drive after Ada. “She is leaving.”

“What? No, no, no, you can’t let her leave!” Tears were instant in her eyes and she looked down the drive where the SUV Ada had taken had already rounded the first bend and disappeared from view.

Her look whipped back to me. “Stop her—stop her! You said she wouldn’t leave me. You promised it. You said she was here and she could help me and she is all I have and you need to stop her. Stop her now. Stop her!”

“I never promised it, Venetia.”

Her hand flung out, knocking my hold on her shoulder away. “You promised it by giving her to me in the first place.” Her arm swung to the side, pointing down the mountain. “Stop her. Don’t let her go. What did you do to her? What did you do? She never would have left if you didn’t do something. What did you do, you fucking asshole? Did Cletus do something to her? What did you do? I need her!”

She spun from me, starting to run down the drive.

I was to her in two strides, locking my arms around her waist and grabbing her to hold her back.

She fought me, screeching, trying to break free.

Until she stopped moving.

Stopped, and the stones under my feet began to shake.

Fucking hell.

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