Darkness Unleashed

by McKenzie Hunter

  The silence was getting to me. Had he come here to stare at me and occasionally breathe? The latter always unnerved me, because he did it at five-minute intervals.

  “Are things going well with Demetrius?” I asked, ending the uncomfortable quiet.

  He nodded, his appearance solemn. “He’s not Michaela.”

  I bit my tongue to keep from telling him that was a good thing. If nothing else, it was a lateral move.

  “I don’t like him,” he muttered. I commiserated with his dislike of Demetrius. Then he moved and added, “Ethan, I don’t like him at all.”

  He came nearer, leaving little space between us. He reached out to touch my hand but decided against it, dropping his arm to his side as his eyes drifted from mine as if it was painful to look at me.

  For several minutes, I debated bringing up Ethan’s assertion that Quell was in love with me. It seemed so arrogant and the very height of hubris to assume someone had fallen in love with you. Ethan was a good judge of people and situations, though.

  “Quell,” I started in a whisper, aware he would be able to hear me. He lifted his eyes to meet mine. His blank expression made it more difficult to approach the subject. “Are you in love with me?”

  “Yes,” he responded before the last words fell from my lips.

  I was speechless for once.

  “I know you are with him,” he mused quietly. “I would never do anything to hurt you.” He was giving me the same unwavering commitment he’d given Michaela. I hated it. Devotion to his maker wasn’t rooted in any form of logic, and I couldn’t understand. “I love you,” he said once, and then again as if committing the moment to memory, the way I looked when he said it. I knew it was how he truly felt. It made me feel worse about the situation because I didn’t know how to fix it. I was okay with him loving me—I loved him. But I couldn’t have him in love with me.

  “Quell.”

  He silenced me by lifting his hand. “You love me, too, but in a different way, don’t you?”

  I nodded.

  “Demetrius is right. You shouldn’t visit me anymore.” He paused, pouring his emotions into his words. “Or call me. I should do the same. This should be it. Nothing good can come from us trying to maintain a friendship since it can be neither what I want nor what you expect.” He professed his love again. I tried not to wince; I knew he meant it, and it was unrequited.

  Tears brimmed at the edges of my eyes, threatening to spill. I was losing my friend and the eccentricity that accompanied him. Another thing had changed in my life. I knew it was for the best, but that didn’t lessen the pain. I simply nodded; there were no words that could change or fix things. I closed my eyes as he pressed his cold lips to my forehead. He was gone before I opened my eyes.

  I couldn’t fight the tears anymore. I wasn’t sure if they were for Quell or me giving myself permission to let all the turmoil wash over me. Steven, the removal of the mark, everything that had occurred today, murdering Michaela, Quell’s exit from my life.

  Exhaling a deep, ragged breath, I allowed myself to feel all of it, because I had to move on tomorrow.

  I spent the next hour doing that before I returned to deciphering the invocation of the voices I’d heard.

  CHAPTER 12

  “Say the words again,” Ethan instructed as he pulled out of my driveway. I should have been saying them to Josh in the library, where I should have been helping him figure out what was going on. I grudgingly repeated the words, or what I thought they were. It didn’t seem like the right time for Ethan and me to be enjoying a night out. He hadn’t left room for me to decline when he’d informed me of the reservation. Perhaps it was him celebrating Quell no longer being in my life. His face had been blank when we’d discussed the details of the visit. He’d inclined his head into a slight nod when I’d confirmed he’d been right about Quell’s feelings toward me. He hadn’t gloated; if I hadn’t known better, I’d have thought he seemed sad. Perhaps he’d felt sorry for me for not recognizing it in the first place. He’d given his sympathy with great effort, and I hadn’t expected it. He’d kissed me lightly and whispered, “Lamento que estejas magoada por isso.” I’m sorry you are hurt by this. His words had been sincere. Ethan was sorry that I was hurt, but not about Quell’s absence from my life. I understood.

  “I don’t think you’re saying the words correctly,” he said, changing the subject.

  I didn’t have an eidetic memory, but I could recall things with great accuracy. I mimicked the melodious timbre of their voices while repeating words so unfamiliar I couldn’t compare them to anything.

  “What did the people look like?”

  “They all looked alike. They reminded me of Gideon and Abigail. Fair hair and skin with an ethereal pearly glow. I remember their amethyst-colored eyes were luminous and hauntingly eerie. I opened my eyes too fast to get anything else.”

  Ethan’s mood had changed, and I felt the heaviness of it.

  “Is it that bad?”

  He didn’t answer immediately, and I knew why he hesitated. He was used to keeping secrets and providing information sparingly, especially to me.

  “I don’t want to worry you needlessly,” he said.

  “Ethan,” I urged, “you can’t protect me from everything.”

  “But I’ll try.”

  “I don’t function well in the dark,” I reminded him firmly.

  “Although you aren’t pronouncing any words I’m familiar with, it sounds like Faerie. The lilt of the words is similar. The speakers’ appearance is how one of my books describes it.” His words were filled with frustration.

  Faeries. Maya had become a spirit shade as a child; what I’d seen couldn’t be her memories, but she’d shown me the past before with just a spell—images of were-animals before they’d evolved into what we were. She had access to unimaginable magic. I wondered about her: how old she was, who she’d inhabited before my mother had hosted her. What had she learned? What diablerie had she practiced? What gave her such a thirst for power—the same innate thing that had driven Ethos to behave the way he had, or a relentless desire to control the otherworld?

  I was still thinking about Maya and her motives when we got out of the car. Taking my hand in his, Ethan gave it a squeeze. “Not tonight. We’ll deal with it tomorrow.”

  I smiled. It was forced but pleasant. We really needed a night out where we weren’t discussing Steven’s case, the humans determined to expose us, or Maya. He kept hold of my hand as we walked into the restaurant. It had been on my list to try for years, but no matter how many times people raved about it, I couldn’t justify paying for one meal what I’d usually spend on two weeks of groceries. Ethan wore a dark gray suit, and I had on a black, slinky midi dress that hugged my curves, with hints of silver that gleamed in the light. The chandeliers were white and polished silver starbursts. The entire restaurant was decorated in white, silver, and shades of muted gray. White and silver tablecloths were topped with blown glass vases of swirling silver and white in coiled embraces. Hints of colors came from exotic flowers in the center. One side of the restaurant had floor-to-ceiling windows that provided an unobstructed view of the city, iridescent in gold, orange, and pale yellow. Beautiful. Ambient music played. Regardless of whether the food was good, people were paying for the experience.

  The host escorted us to the back of the room, where Ethan always chose to sit. It was an exquisite setting, and the inevitable was going to happen. I’d been hinting at the ring, searching for it in my meals, waiting for it to reappear in my bathroom or even next to me when Ethan got out of bed. Nothing. And now I was caught in a rom-com. Suspiciously, I looked for the source of the music, hoping that mid-meal someone wouldn’t come to our table to serenade me. I slid into the seat and eyed Ethan; his features betrayed none of his intentions. He ordered white wine instead of his usual red.

  “White wine?” I inquired after the server had left.

  “I wanted something crisp. The fish here is fantastic. We should ord
er it.” Then he grinned. “But first, we should order dessert.”

  He relaxed into his chair as much as he could. He wanted me to leave everything that had happened over the past few days at the door, a task even he was having trouble doing. Eventually, the conversation centered on just us.

  “Have you thought about our living arrangements?” After watching me for several moments, his lips kinked into a half-smile. “I guess the uptick in your heart rate means no.”

  “Stop doing that. It’s so invasive!”

  He gave me a look of amused incredulity. “Your heart rate is secret?”

  “Yes.”

  He was still laughing at me when he excused himself. He claimed he was going to the restroom, but I didn’t think it was a coincidence when the server returned immediately thereafter with wine and white chocolate mousse garnished with dark chocolate. “I was asked to bring this to you before the entrée.” The server beamed as he placed it in front of me.

  Moments later, Ethan returned from the “restroom.”

  Responding to my eye roll, he leaned in. “Are you still pretending you aren’t a dessert first type of woman?” he teased.

  Ethan, you are better than this.

  I examined the wine, and when I found it ring-free, I took a sip.

  “Do you like it?” There was a hint of amusement in his voice.

  “It’s delicious.” It was. I enjoyed the light, crisp taste of peach and the trace of cinnamon that lingered on my palate. Ethan’s brows drew together as he watched me cautiously skim through the mousse, anticipating the click of my spoon against the metal band of the ring. I didn’t want a cliché moment, but I would have preferred that over me mining through my dessert, inspecting my wine like a paranoid conspiracist, and constantly scanning the area for someone coming our way with a violin. All that seemed okay compared to him knowing I wanted the ring and withholding it because he was a total ass.

  After the second course, Ethan took a sip from his glass and leaned back in his chair, assessing me. “Is something wrong?”

  “No,” I said brusquely.

  “Hmmm. Are you expecting something?”

  I shook my head. He flashed me a cross between a smirk and a grin. “Are you sure? You seem frustrated.” He took another sip from his glass while keeping an inquisitive eye on me.

  I am frustrated, you Betahole.

  People moved throughout the restaurant, a band played off to the right, the server came to our table numerous times to refill our glasses, and not one of them was an introduction to getting the ring. I was ablaze with anger by the time we settled the bill and we were ready to leave.

  “You’re an ass,” I asserted as he stood, extending his hand to help me out of my seat. I refused to take it, glaring at it.

  He maintained a solemn look as I worked on keeping my voice down to avoid making a scene—but one was begging to be made. “You are absolutely ridiculous. Everything has to be your way and when you want it. If anyone manages to not do things the Ethan way, you have to make a statement about it. News alert: you can’t get your way every time. That’s what it’s like to be an adult. Things don’t happen at a simple snap of your fingers. So what, I didn’t take the damn ring when you offered it. I was in my pajamas. Is it too much for you to compromise sometimes? Do you have to be an ass every time you are forced to remember the world doesn’t bow to your every whim? I’m letting you know, I won’t have it!”

  His lips pulled into a fine line, but he remained silent as if waiting for the rest of my outburst. “I guess you’re finished. Are you ready to go?”

  I nodded and stood. As we walked out, I kept in step with him but maintained enough distance that he couldn’t take my hand or touch me.

  We drove in uncomfortable silence, and I made a sound of displeasure when he pulled into the driveway of the pack’s house. The last thing I wanted to do was pretend we were a happy couple in front of people, and I damn sure didn’t want to run into Cole, who’d made deleterious remarks about our relationship. I didn’t have the ability to ignore them or offer a rebuttal.

  Instead of going to the house, he headed to the back, closer to the forest, and stood in a spot a few feet from the house.

  “Tonight is the anniversary of your first solo change. This is the very spot where you did it. You didn’t want to, but when I urged you to do it, you did—by yourself. That’s when I knew there was more to you. You had an untapped strength and perseverance. You weren’t just obstinate.” He gave me a small smile. “It is also where you were when I realized I love you. You ran out of the house and looked so hurt that I was keeping secrets from you. It was the first time I had a problem with it as well because I didn’t want to be the person who caused you pain. It wasn’t because of guilt—it was because I cared that much about you.” He took in a deep breath. “I should have told you I loved you then instead of telling you the way I did, but I didn’t feel it was the right time.” He made a face, and for the first time, he seemed embarrassed and sheepish. He shrugged. “And I definitely shouldn’t have done it in a small room in the pack’s house.” He took out the ring. “You were right about the proposal. I shouldn’t have made it so casual. It should be special—something we’ll always remember. I wanted it to be now, on the anniversary of your first solo change, in the same place I realized I love you.”

  Taking my hand, he slipped the ring on my finger. Then he brought my hand to his lips and kissed it. “It’s not because I need the world to know you are with me. I want you to have it as a reminder of how I feel about you.”

  Humble pie and remorse tasted like dirt with a strange tang to it. I looked at the ring and at him. I kissed him, long and deeply.

  Pulling me close, he chuckled softly and asked, “You really thought I’d put a ring in your dessert? I’ve seen you eat. Unless I wanted it swallowed, there was no way I was doing that.”

  “I’m not that bad,” I responded with exaggerated offense.

  “You always attack food like you’re taking down an animal three times your size.”

  I kissed him again, harder, pulling him to me and guiding him to a tree a few feet away. I buried my face in his neck, taking in his scent of musk and cardamom and expensive cologne. My lips ran languidly over the pulse there. Darkness shrouded us, with just a wafer of moonlight breaking through, offering pearls of light. I pulled his jacket off and tossed it aside, then went to work on the buttons of his shirt.

  He grabbed my hand and secured it against his chest. I could feel his heartbeat. “If anyone’s here, you know they’ll be able to see us,” he reminded me in a deep, raspy voice.

  “So?”

  He grinned, releasing my hand, and I returned to quickly undoing his buttons. He shrugged off the shirt and tossed it near his jacket. He shuddered under my touch as I ran my fingers over the sculpted muscles of his chest and down his stomach. I reached his pants and unfastened them. His hands skated gently over my shoulders, slipping the straps of my dress off and placing kisses there. Then his hands slipped around my back and pulled down the zipper. When the dress pooled at my feet, I kicked it out of the way. I was in just my bra and panties, and he pulled away to take me in smiling. He leaned in and kissed me harder, pressing me into the tree. One tug and he’d pulled away my panties.

  “I liked those,” I teased.

  “Me, too.” My bra received a gentler treatment; he deftly unhooked it, and it fell to the ground. The cool breeze brushed against my nipples, hardening them. Then they were warmed by Ethan’s tongue laving them before he took one into his mouth. Slowly and gently, he delivered the same treatment to the other. He lowered his head and roved over my body, planting soft, warm kisses until he met the delicate spot between my legs. Warmth coursed through me as his tongue eased over me. Entwining my fingers in his hair, I panted as a wave of pleasure moved through me.

  He came to his feet in one swift movement. Weaving his fingers through my hair, he pressed his lips to mine before sliding his hands down to my legs and
securing them around him as he sheathed himself in me. He moved against me in slow, controlled, rhythmic movements. The pace quickly escalated as he thrust harder. My heavy breathing wisped against his lips, my fingers dug into his back, and I met his movements with the same voraciousness, with a need that only Ethan could extinguish. Soon, pleasure enveloped us, sating our need. Still joined, we sank back into the tree, allowing it to bear our weight. He held me for several moments before slipping out of me. He cradled my face in his hands and kissed me again.

  He whispered, “I love you,” with what seemed like apprehension and confusion before he moved away and redressed.

  “You seemed confused by it. Do you wish you didn’t?” The first time he’d said it, he’d admitted he hadn’t wanted to.

  “Of course not,” he said gently. He looked away for several beats and had a hard time coming back to me. Expressive gunmetal eyes with whispers of blue held mine. “I’m just surprised by the depth of it.”

  I wasn’t sure why he felt this way—Ethan rarely did anything half-assed. Even his affection for his brother reached a depth I could only call “Ethan’s type of love.”

  Hand in hand, we walked out of the woods and were met by a massive light gray wolf. Cole. His eyes raked over us. First, he took in our entwined fingers, then the full length of Ethan, and then me. He regarded my hair, which I knew was a disheveled mess, and my dress, which I’d quickly donned without straightening the straps properly. One had slid off my shoulders, revealing more of my cleavage than I was comfortable Cole seeing. I repositioned.

  “Did you need something, Cole?” Ethan said with a tone that was undeniably hostile. The wolf backed away, and moments later, we were in front of a naked Cole, who didn’t even cover his private area and just stood with his hands at his sides.

  “I didn’t expect to see you two here.” Cole kept his attention on me. I ran my fingers through my hair, attempting to make it more presentable, feeling uncomfortable under his scrutiny.