Edge of Darkness

by J. A. Saare

  He didn't offer more, so I prodded, "Meeting Bane for what?"

  "You know how to find the answer. It's all in there, love," he reminded me patiently. He could tell me, but he wasn't going to. "Have a look."

  On nights like these, he wouldn't let me avoid his personal space. He also wouldn't try to block out what I was thinking and would be monitoring my mind. The mark would be completely open.

  I focused on him and caught a steady flow of information.

  It took time to break it down and process it.

  Bane should be at the dock by now. We'd meet some of his people tomorrow. Until that happened, Bane wanted to tag along with us. He wanted to be there when things went down with our family. I was surprised Disco had agreed to his request.

  Then I came to Disco's mindset in the matter.

  They'd be working together indefinitely. The family had to get used to Bane at some point. There was no time like the present.

  Plus, Bane's presence would substantially shift the odds.

  I got to the most important reason Disco had said yes.

  Bane had offered to keep me safe if things went sideways.

  A ding carried through the speaker near the coffee pot. We'd arrived at our destination. Although the docking areas we used were rotated and changed, we kept each one programmed in the GPS system. With a simple command, we had the ability to travel to any one of them.

  I took a deep breath, held it for a couple of seconds, and exhaled slowly.

  As much as this had to happen, I was still nervous.

  The family would take us back because they loved Gabriel and would do anything for him. There was a good chance the relationships between them and me would be strained. I would understand them hating me after everything that happened. If I'd given Marius what he wanted, things could have been different. They probably blamed me for everything.

  They had every right to.

  A mild zap across my head made my scalp tingle. The sensation had been created by the vampire across from me who was looking for something on his phone. He was telling me to stop venturing to dark places. He didn't like when I got trapped in that way of thinking. He wanted me focused on him.

  I got the message and widened our connection so his emotions would hit me a bit harder. I had difficulty staying in his head, but it wasn't because his mind was a bad place. He'd be watching everyone, monitoring minds as he studied rooms. He was an auditory and visual creature, taking everything in. Since my attention span had always been substandard, I missed things sometimes. His feelings acted as an alarm that hopefully would remove the need for any future warnings.

  Disco wanted me to know Bane was waiting for us. I had a question but had to look for the answer. Part of me didn't want to, as it indicated how the night would go. Disco was tuned to me. He knew what I wanted to know.

  "Look for it, Rhiannon."

  Damn it.

  I dove in, found the information, and got my answer. Marius would indeed be home when we got there. I found something else, and my breath caught. We agreed Revenald's ass was grass, but I thought Marius was a toss-up.

  Obviously, I was wrong.

  "You're going to kill him?" I questioned.

  "You told me if I was ever in doubt to aim for the heart or the head."

  I had, but I never thought he took that piece of advice seriously. I didn't sense any change in his mood, and I couldn't tell anything by his behavior.

  He was still glued to the damned phone.

  Cellular devices annoyed the hell out of me.

  "Revenald has kept us running because Marius has followed orders," Disco provided a verbal response due to my surprise at what Marius had coming to him. "My maker knows what I've been doing each time he sends vampires to end me at Revenald's request, and he knows where it will lead. I will not consort with vampires who don't have the common sense to resign when I give them fair warning."

  "I thought you'd spare him." Disco would have died had Marius not intervened to save his life. Thinking everything over, reminded of our history, I confessed, "Not that I'm defending him."

  "You shouldn't. He wouldn't do the same for you." He exhaled, and I detected bitterness and anger. He felt this is something he should have faced a long time ago. "If he'd been smart, he'd have told Ethan to reach out to me. I might have met with him and listened to what he had to say. At the very least, he'd have been shown leniency."

  That wasn't likely.

  He blamed Marius for everything that had happened to us.

  Especially Paine.

  Jesus. Fuck me.

  That's why he hadn't thought about the family when we'd been taking down half-demons, at least not to a degree I'd notice. I'd wondered about the lack of information here and there. I figured he didn't want to upset me or put anyone he cared about in harm's way. The house was the residence for the vampires he'd claimed as his own. He wanted them back unharmed, and he'd make sure that very thing happened.

  But he'd known all along, two of them had to go.

  It was the end of the line for Marius and Jonny.

  Gabriel Trevellian was going to take over his city and send their heads to Revenald. Bane had told him he'd mail the package personally.

  Son of a bitch. "Bane can send things to Hell?" That changed things. "He has that kind of access to dark magic?"

  Gabriel didn't answer, even when I waited. He knew my curiosity was killing me. I thought he might zing me again, wanting me to look for the answer he was more than willing to share if I would go into his head and search for what I needed.

  "What are you doing?" I asked.

  "Sending texts."

  Not what I expected, but at least he was communicating with me in the way I preferred. "Everything okay?"

  He blew me off good and fucking proper. "Mmm-hmm."

  We had people to meet and places to go. He knew what I wanted.

  What the fuck is he doing?

  "You're not looking." I thought he'd have gotten tired of saying that to me by now, but he hadn't. Not in the five months we'd been on the run. He'd told me he expected us to be tethered telepathically at all times when we faced danger. His fingers stilled, but he didn't look up as he repeated in a manner that sounded like an order, "You have to look, Rhiannon."

  I was so tired of hearing that phrase.

  Part of me wanted to ban the words from our shared speech.

  You have to look, Rhiannon.

  I didn't want to fucking look.

  When he didn't say another word, my anger stirred.

  We were about to do some very serious shit with someone who could do things I hadn't known would be possible. I needed to be prepared for what was about to go down. Gaining insight would be faster if he talked to me. I couldn't travel through his head as easily or swiftly as he could mine. He could provide an answer in ten seconds, whereas sorting through his thoughts and memories could take me up to ten minutes depending on what I wanted to know.

  "You can hear me, so answer."

  He didn't react.

  "Fine. Have it your way."

  I wouldn't just go looking. I'd dive right the fuck in.

  I blew the mark wide open, lowering my guards completely, and charged into his head. His end of the connection had been completely available to me for a while. At least his feelings would give me insight. The bite that marked me as his servant warmed on my neck. It felt like a burst of biting wind pierced my body, and a gate swung open in my chest and mind. The pure scent of him, of the cinnamon and cloves in his blood, pooled in my nose. I felt his heartbeat and might as well have been standing in his skin.

  Then I didn't have to look anymore.

  There was a reason he'd wanted it to happen this way.

  He'd known if he admitted what he was feeling out loud, offering words instead of a demonstration, the description could frighten me. To combat my natural response, he wanted me to understand how his mind and this particular ability worked. He knew if I got annoyed enough, I'd find th
e place I was meant to be. He hadn't really pushed me before because we resided in a small, inescapable space where arguments were best avoided. This wasn't like when he controlled my body before. The sensation was different yet just as strong. I had stepped into my absolute place beside him, taking on my role as his familiar, and let his mark consume me.

  He was picturing Paine.

  An endless loop had been created in his mind.

  He could recall exactly how Paine had been killed and, because of his power, he'd never be able to forget the horrific images. The memory changed, and I saw flickers of something in my head. I froze when I recognized the visual, realizing he'd taken the memory from my own head. Jenny's face was so clear. It was like she was standing right in front of me. She'd been terrified and didn't understand what was happening to her when Revenald had brought her before me, offering her to Victoria as a pawn, telling his fellow half-demon to turn Jenny into a vampire in order to control me. My lower lip trembled, and I had to hold back tears. I was back in that moment again, trapped inside those agonizing minutes, unable to do anything but plead and beg. I wanted to charge at those who had my sister and bury knives into their skulls.

  I wanted them dead.

  No, that wasn't right.

  We wanted them dead.

  The emotion got stronger, morphed into something else, and the result made me gasp and struggle to breathe. The outrage was so absolute and pure the fury would never be sated.

  Gabriel wasn't calm. Not even close.

  I'd never experienced bloodlust before, but I knew it for what it was.

  Lord, pray for us sinners.

  "Found it," I croaked and wished I could take the admission back. I often said awkward shit when I was shaken or unnerved by something. My lips parted as I tried to think of something to say. The memory of Jenny had gone away, but the rage remained. "Now what?"

  "Come to me."

  I didn't think I'd be able to since my senses were on hyper-alert and the room seemed to spin. I managed to put one foot in front of the other. When I stopped in front of him, he shut off the phone and slid the device into his jacket. He kept his head angled, so I couldn't clearly see his face. He felt his way up my body with his hands, drifting them over my abdomen, chest, and stopped when they came to my face. My heart pounded because I was stuck in the overwhelming emotion pulsing through both of us. When he lifted my head and brought his down, his eyes were closed.

  He breezed his lips over mine and whispered, "I have to show you something."

  "What is it?"

  He wanted to tighten his grip because he didn't want me to run. He didn't want me to see his eyes, especially after the tension between us earlier. Unfortunately, he had to. Time was up. What he had to show me was part of the package I had to accept. He couldn't hide this side of himself from me any longer, not when he intended to use the ability as often as the need arose.

  I widened my stance, making sure my feet were planted.

  He'd been trying to protect me from himself.

  "I'm not afraid, and you know I'm too stubborn to run. Especially from you, Gabriel." I used the name because I was addressing the Master of New York. I'd been through some fucked-up and horrifying things in my life, but this wouldn't be one of those moments. He wanted to reveal a part of himself, and I wouldn't let him regret doing so. "I'm not going anywhere. Anyone that tries to make me will have to kill me."

  His dark and thick lashes fluttered as his lids lifted.

  His eyes weren't the ones I'd grown accustomed to. Both had taken on the same shift, and the effect was stunning. The irises were still blue and aqua, rimmed with black around the edges, and shone as bright and clear as ocean water. I saw small flecks of gold near the center. There was a ring around the pupil now, and the thick circle was bright red and flared inward. You'd be able to see those peepers from several yards away, especially at night, because they glowed.

  They were dangerous yet beautiful.

  "Now that you won't be surprised when you feel or see this, we need to finish up."

  He closed his eyes.

  Numerous emotions—his and mine—came to the forefront as the bloodlust retreated. I found mostly awe, relief, and that same inner quiet that helped me control my temper before I mouthed off.

  When he looked at me again, his eyes were their usual golden-blue.

  Holy fucking Christ. "You can turn that shit on and off?"

  I didn't know how I felt about that.

  "Depending on the situation and circumstances." He placed one hand on my hip and draped the other around my nape. "You shouldn't be thinking about that. There's more information, and it's right where you can find it. I'm not keeping anything from you, so don't think you're intruding if you need answers. I can't tell you everything with time constraints. You're going to have to search for yourself. Bane knows we're here. His thoughts have become..." His lips twitched in amusement. "A lot like yours, actually. He's watching the boat right now, thinking we'd better not be engaged in carnal activities. He wants us to hurry up before he takes matters into his own hands and comes aboard."

  "Asshole." That sounded that Bane. "Ignore him. Let him simmer."

  He laughed and nuzzled my head. "He won't appreciate it."

  "Of course he won't. That's the point."

  "Marius dies tonight, Rhiannon," he whispered. He moved back so I could see his face. He was calm, which made his words all the more chilling. "I owe you that after what you went through." I was about to tell him he didn't owe me anything, but he kept going, "After he's dead, Bane is going to open a gate to Hell. Half-demons need to know what will happen to them if they come into my territories without permission."

  Fucking-A. "We're doing all that tonight?"

  "You'll be tucked in our bed, back in our room, by sunrise. I'm going to build you a fire, take you to bed, and love you until sunrise. We're going to drink from each other more than once to mark the beginning of our new lives."

  Our eyes met, and I knew what he was trying to say.

  The mansion wasn't just his family home. It was also mine.

  He intended to make it clear I wasn't a servant anymore. I wasn't a necromancer that could be discarded or replaced. I was his absolute partner, the one he'd be sharing his life with, and he intended to announce it before everyone. He wouldn't tolerate any bullshit if someone fucked with me.

  "If you want to give me a gift," he informed me, his voice deepening, "that's what I want as soon as we're done. We end things and turn another page. We start things the way we intend to live."

  "I'm a smart-ass," I reminded him, reverting to bad tendencies, thinking it was best for both of us if I gave him an easy way out. We'd accomplished a lot in our time together, but things would change when we left The Minnow. "When things get back to normal, the bad habits I've tried to avoid are going to come back." With room to explore and without the threat of death looming over our heads, I'd eventually find my groove and return to my natural rhythm. "I'm going to annoy you."

  "I'm looking forward to it. It's one of the reasons I fell in love with you."

  "Really?" I shot him a look of feigned disinterest. "All it takes is some sass?"

  "All it takes is you," he corrected.

  "I don't want to share you." I'd taken the pain of his bite numerous times for a reason. When he needed sustenance, I wanted to be the one he took blood from. "I don't want you feeding from someone else."

  "I'll always come to you first," he responded, ready to describe exactly what he meant, when another thought from Bane came through.

  It was like one of mine. Damn, son.

  "Hurry the shit along." Bane thundered in his head, knowing his partner in crime would hear. The impression hit so hard we couldn't possibly miss his annoyance. "I'm a busy man. I don't have all night."

  Neither did we.

  "If there's something important you want to take with us, get it. I'll have our things moved, but it will take time to get them home. A couple of weeks at
least." He'd caught my thoughts earlier, knowing I'd miss having him to myself. "I don't know when we'll come back, but we will. I promise."

  That was a concession. He didn't like living on the water.

  I thought about Bane's abrasive mental intrusion. "Do I have time?"

  "You do if you hurry," he answered and repeated my earlier term of phrase, "he can simmer a while longer. But he means what he said. If we don't step out in ten minutes, he's coming onto the boat."

  We'd departed in a rush. I didn't have many items with sentiment attached. "Is the chest too big?”

  His expression softened when he saw the only thing I wanted to take with me. "Not at all. We'll bring it with us."

  Bring it with us? The thing weighed a ton and wasn't compact. "How?"

  Look for it.

  The response came from his mind, but he hadn't meant to send it. Over the months, he'd apparently formed his own terrible habit.

  "Bane's driving us home. We'll put it in the back."

  So the ass did want to see everything up close and in person.

  He expected to be there when the shit hit the proverbial fan.

  Okie-dokie.

  I started to go to the chest to store the items I hadn't put back inside. Midway, I paused. The only item of importance was the chest itself, not the contents. I'd selected my favorite weapons for the evening and was as prepared as I could be.

  "Then," I said, coming back to him, "that's it."

  He cupped my nape, and his thumb stroked my neck. "Are you ready?"

  This time I didn't need any influence, mental or otherwise, to catch the drift. We were about to step out of the flames and into the fire. I knew this moment had been coming. We'd made it happen.

  Time to reap the rewards of our murderous endeavors.

  "Yepper."

  He shifted away, and I didn't stop him. I wasn't strong enough to lift the chest without the amulet or his blood. He'd carry it since I couldn't. He'd put it into Bane's vehicle, and then we'd all be venturing into unknown territory together.

  With Bane, we'd formed a triad.

  It wasn't like the one we once had with Paine, as the alliance had just been created, but our intentions were true and real. Half-demons were about to get wise, the balance of power was about to shift, and I would take part in the transition. The life I'd gotten used to was about to end, and I had to steel myself.