Shiela Stewart - [Darkness 04]
Page 18
“Because it would have made me look like a wimp, needing my brother to fight my fights.”
“Right. Do you remember what I did after the fight was broken up?”
Danny thought back to that day. Richie had been teasing him all day, mocking him because Danny couldn’t remember the state he lived in. So when school was over, Danny had ran after Richie and had shoved him hard enough to make him fall to his knees on the cement sidewalk. Richie had been pissed and he’d shown Danny by using his fists on his face. And…he remembered what Dante had done when the fight had been over. He’d walked up to Richie and with utter calmness, plowed his fist into Richie’s face. In turn, Richie had done the same to Dante. When Dante had escaped, he’d caught up with Danny and had insisted they lie to their parents and say the two of them got into a fight. Because Dante knew if their parents knew Danny had been fighting, again, he would be severely grounded.
“Yeah, I remember.”
“That’s what brothers do. They protect each other. I know what you did you did for me. To save me, and for that, I am eternally grateful.”
Stunned, Danny stared at his brother. He wasn’t mad. “I couldn’t let you die.”
“I know.”
“You deserved to live. More than me and if I could have given my life—”
“Whoa there. Back up a step. What do you mean I deserve to live more than you?”
Danny looked down at his worn sneakers as he spoke. “You’ve always been the good son, the good brother. And when you grew up, you became the cop you always said you wanted to be and you helped people. All I ever did was cause trouble and get into fights.”
“And you think because of that I have more of a reason to live than you?”
Danny looked up. “Well…yeah.”
“You’re a butthead.”
Danny’s temper spiked. “Screw you!”
Dante slipped his feet from over the edge of the bed and stood to meet his brother’s eyes. “We’re equal, Danny, in every way. You don’t think I got into trouble in my youth? Did you forget that mom and dad were always on my case about my grades? I hated school.”
“Well, who doesn’t?” Danny shrugged.
“After you left, I was trouble. I was rebellious, angry and a downright handful to deal with. I’m no better than you and if you ever say differently again I’ll knock your head off your shoulders.”
Danny’s brow lifted and he fought the grin threatening to slip free. Then Dante held his hand out and Danny took it.
“We’re equal.” Dante pulled Danny in for a super bear hug. “We always have been.” Releasing Danny, Dante slugged his arm. “Remember that.”
Danny rubbed his arm, smiling. “What do you think mom and dad will say?”
Dante sat back down on the bed, shrugging. “It’s going to be a tough one to explain but we’ll manage.”
“I suppose so.” Danny could only hope their parents didn’t disown them both.
“You know Lexi will never let us live this down. She’s going to have some snide comment about us always doing things together and not having a mind of our own.”
“Yeah…” he sighed, hoping his sister would talk to him after twenty years of believing him to be dead.
“Not to worry. If she gets out of hand we’ll just turn her into a vamp and be done with it.” Danny’s eyes flew open wide and Dante laughed. “I’m just kidding. So, are we cool?”
“We’re cool.” Now everything was right in his world.
***
Trinity looked down at the tiny bundle in her arms and into the pink face of her daughter and felt her heart swell with love. Beside her, Basil rested his head on her shoulder and had one hand resting on their daughter’s tiny body.
“She is perfect, isn’t she?”
“She truly is.” He lifted his head and kissed her softly on the mouth. “You’re perfect.”
“That was the hardest thing I have ever done,” Trinity said, then kissed her daughter’s tiny head covered in a think sheen of black hair. “But it was all worth it. Welcome to the world, Felicity Rose.”
“My only wish for her is that she will grow to see the sunlight.”
She glanced over at Basil and felt his sorrow. “You did what had to be done, Basil. If you’d have gone after Chaos, Dante would have died.”
“And now he’s one of us. What do you think he’ll think of that when he wakes?”
“Danny did it out of love and I think Dante will feel that. Danny’s one of us now. His connection to Chaos has been broken.”
Basil tilted his head. “You sound like you actually like the kid.”
Trinity smiled. “He has his charm. Love always changes a person, and Danny finally found what he needed. He and Starla be good for each other.”
“Life is pretty good right now, despite Chaos being free again.”
“We’ll get him.” She kissed her daughter’s head. “Right now I want to bask in the joy of being a mom. Wow!” She blew out a long breath.
“You’re a mommy.” Basil tucked her hair behind her ear and kissed her forehead.
“And you’re a daddy.” She touched a hand to his face.
Both were startled when a flash of light illuminated the room. As their heads turned to the direction it came from, they saw the queen as she stood before them.
“Mother!” Basil smiled a wide grin. “Come to see your grandchild?”
“I’ve come for my granddaughter.”
“Pardon me?”
Trinity clasped her daughter tightly in her arms. “What did you say?”
Then queen stepped up to the bed, and a thin piece of paper floated from the ceiling to land on Trinity’s legs. “Per our agreement and your signed statement, I have come for what is mine.”
She clutched Felicity a little tighter. “No, no this is not happening.”
Basil stood, putting a protective arm over his daughter. “Do not come near her.”
Trinity gasped as Basil was hurled aside, falling hard against the wall a few feet away. “No, no, this wasn’t what I agreed to. I said you could have—”
“Everything, Take it all, you told me, and so I shall.”
Trinity felt her arms being pride apart despite her effort to cling to her child. “No, no, please, stop, stop. Basil!” she cried out for help.
He lunged at his mother only to be knocked back by an invisible force.
“I will care for her and love as if she were my own.”
Trinity sat helplessly as her child was pulled from her arms and into the queen’s. “Please, take my powers, I don’t want them. I don’t need them. Just please, don’t take my baby.”
“You knew,” Basil barked as he stood on wobbly legs. “When she came to you to ask for help, you knew she was with child.”
“Yes,” Rajana chanted. “I knew the instant she entered the sanctuary that she was with child. When she pleaded with me to save her friend, agreeing to give me everything, I seized the opportunity. I only had you for a short time, my son. This precious child is my second chance.”
She vanished and Trinity screamed.
“My baby!”
She fell into Basil’s arms, weeping.
Biography
Raised on a rural farm in Saskatchewan, Shiela Stewart relied on her vivid imagination to fill her days. Never did she realize that her need to tell a story would someday lead to becoming a published romance author. In the fall of two thousand and six, Shiela published her very first book and hasn’t stopped since.
When not writing, Shiela spends time with the love of her life, William and their three children. She has a strong affection for animals which is evident in the five cats, one dog, three turtles and ten fish she owns. Some of her passions aside from writing are drawing and paint
ing and proudly displays her artwork in murals in her home.
Her favorite time of day is sunset and loves to stargaze.
Other Books by
Shiela Stewart
Discovery in Passion: Passion Series Book 1
Escape in Passion: Passion Series Book 2
Mercy in Passion: Passion Series Book 3
Seducing the Darkness: Darkness Series Book 1
Desiring the Darkness: Darkness Series Book 2
Embracing the Darkness: Darkness Series Book 3
Charming the Darkness: Darkness Series Book 4
Tempting the Darkness: Darkness Series Book 5
Penetrating the Darkness: Darkness Series Book 6
Consuming the Darkness: Darkness Series Book 7
Surviving the Darkness: Darkness Series Book 8