Shiela Stewart - [Darkness 05]

by Tempting the Darkness (epub)

  Rajana flicked her wrist and sent Trinity flying across the tiny cell. She fell with a hard thump and decided the floor beneath her not only existed but was damn solid. Standing, she rubbed her sore butt and pushed a little harder. “You may rule here, but you do not own me and you do not control me. I will find a way out of here and to my daughter if it is the last thing I do.”

  “That can be arranged,” Rajana stated boldly. “And I do control you. I control all those that have come from me, which is every creature slithering through its miserable existence here and on earth.”

  “Again, that swelled head must be hard to hold up. Whoa!” Her body lurched to the side and landed against the wall. She really wasn’t into kissing pavement.

  “I control you without so much as an effort and there is nothing you can do about it.”

  Trinity’s hands came up over her head and her legs spread. She didn’t much like the lack of control. When she was spun around, it actually took her breath away. Then she slid up the wall, hitting her head on the ceiling before sliding along it. Looking down, Trinity felt the panic grip her.

  She was pretty damn sure she knew what was about to happen.

  “Nothing,” Rajana emphasized firmly, then stepped through the door and vanished.

  Trinity looked down at the floor and before she could think, “Shit!” she fell face first onto the floor beneath her. The stars exploded before her eyes and then she saw nothing at all.

  ***

  Cooper stretched his arms out, yawned, rolled over, and gazed into the most beautiful eyes he’d ever seen.

  “’Morning, sleepy head.”

  There was no better way to wake up than next to the woman you loved, especially when she was smiling at you with a bounty of love. “Good morning to you too. Have I been asleep long?”

  “Two hours.” She stroked his tussled hair from his face. “Did you sleep well?”

  He captured her hand and brought it to his lips. “It would have been better with you beside me.”

  “Yes, but someone wanted me to watch over Basil…wait…that was you.” Smirking, she leaned down and kissed his lips softly. “We’ll have plenty of time to sleep together after Trinity is brought back home. Now, the rest of the gang is already awake and pacing in Basil’s room.” She slipped from the bed.

  “You seem very confident that everything will go as planned.”

  “I have all the confidence in the world in you, my dear. I’ll meet you in Basil’s room.”

  He was damn glad Gabriella was confident because he was having his doubts. It was a lot to ask of one person. He hoped Starla was strong enough to pull this off.

  He hoped he was.

  The nap had helped as he felt stronger now than he had two hours earlier. Or maybe it was due to the fact that he’d been woken by an angel. He had her back, he finally had his Gabriella back.

  But would he end up losing her in the end?

  He was going to make damn sure he didn’t. He was going to come back from the Realm, even if it meant fighting Rajana.

  After dressing, Cooper slicked his hair back before leaving the room. The instant he entered Basil’s room all eyes were on him.

  Including Basil’s.

  Cooper’s blood went cold. “Oh, hell!”

  Basil charged at him like a bull tempted by a red cape. He pinned him to the wall with little effort and left Cooper gasping.

  “Cooper!” Gabriella ran to him instantly.

  All hell broke loose as the men charged Basil.

  “Calm down!” Dante shouted.

  “Basil, don’t be stupid.” Jonah tried to step in.

  But even with all the men yanking at him, Basil kept Cooper pinned to the wall.

  “You bastard!” Basil growled.

  “I did what I had to in order to save you,” Cooper croaked out.

  “I didn’t need fucking saving and even if I did I would never want it from you.”

  That hurt, deeply. “Fine, you wish to have retribution, you wish to make me pay for the lies, do so after we bring Trinity back.”

  “How the hell do you suppose we’re going to do that?” Basil snapped, pressing Cooper harder against the wall.

  “Just calm down now, Basil.” Jonah tried to calm the situation.

  Cooper tried to swallow but it wasn’t an easy task with a hand clamped around your throat. “By teaming our powers together and allowing Starla to use us to break a hole in the Realm which will allow us to go in and bring her back.”

  Basil’s fingers flexed. “It could work.”

  “I know it will work. But we need to act now. Time in the Realm is different than our time. Trinity has most likely been there for days already.”

  “I know that and we wasted precious time while I was knocked out,” Basil stated harshly.

  “If I hadn’t knocked you out, you would have gone to the Dark Mystics for help. I couldn’t allow that. I promised Trinity I wouldn’t allow that and I meant to keep my promise to her. She knew it would be the first place you would go for help if she didn’t come back.”

  “Damn, she knows me well.” His lips curved up in a sly smile. Then he released Cooper and stepped back. “When this is over we will talk.”

  “If talk is all you wish, then so be it. I’m all right, darling,” he reassured Gabriella as she fussed after him. “We need to get everything set up.”

  ***

  What the hell was taking Basil so long rescuing her? It was beginning to really worry Trinity. Had something happened to him, to Starla during the spell? She hoped desperately that everyone was all right. But if they were all right, why hadn’t they come for her yet?

  Damn it! She was getting tired of waiting.

  She kicked the door in her frustration and swore at the stabbing pain that shot into her foot.

  “Hello.”

  Pausing at the tiny voice outside the door, Trinity responded softly. “Hi.”

  “Are you scared inside of there?”

  Trinity hobbled to the door and she wished she could open the tiny slit of a hole in the door to see who she was speaking to. “I’m more pissed than scared.”

  “That’s a bad word.”

  Okay, so she was speaking with a kid. Watch the tongue. “Sorry. I’m just a little upset at being locked in here. What’s your name?”

  “I not supposed to talk to strangers.”

  “That’s smart. Do you live here?” Why else would the kid be here?

  “I shouldn’t be talking to you. Mother will be upset with me.”

  “Who is your mother?” Trinity asked as she slid down the wall to come to a rest on her butt. She placed her ear to the door to be closer to the child. It wasn’t that she couldn’t hear her just fine through the metal, but it had been so long since she’d been close to anyone besides Rajana.

  “I should go. You sound nice, though.”

  Trinity smiled. “Thank you. You sound nice too.”

  “What is your name?”

  “Trinity.”

  “That’s a pretty name. Oh—I need to go.”

  “Wait, don’t go.” When she got no response, Trinity stayed where she was, holding the tiny voice inside her head. If someone as sweet as that child could survive here, so could she.

  So she waited.

  ***

  With the circle created once more, everyone prepared to give the spell another try. Tension was high in the air and Cooper knew if it continued, neither he nor Basil would be able to feed off of the group’s energy without damaging all of them. He needed to break the tension.

  “Two guys were in a bar, and they were both watching the television when the news came on.”

  “What?” Basil’s brow curled with curiosity.

  �
�Just let me finish. Two guys were in a bar, and they were both watching the television when the news came on. It showed a guy on a bridge who was about to jump, obviously suicidal.”

  “What the hell are you doing, Cooper?” Basil snarled.

  “Telling a joke but it won’t be funny if you continue to interrupt me.”

  “Perhaps now isn’t the right time for a joke, dear.” Gabriella patted Cooper on the back lightly.

  “Now is the perfect time,” he continued. “‘I’ll bet you ten dollars he’ll jump,’ said the first guy. ‘Bet you ten dollars he won’t,’ said the second guy. Then the man on the television closed his eyes and threw himself off the bridge. The second guy hands the first guy the money. ‘I can’t take your money,’ said the first guy. ‘I cheated you. The same story was on the five o’clock news.’ ‘No, no. Take it,’ said the second guy. ‘I saw the five o’clock news too. I just didn’t think the guy was dumb enough to jump again.’”

  He heard the first snicker, followed by another, then another before everyone burst into laughter.

  “That was a good one,” Danny chuckled.

  “Damn, why can’t I ever meet the stupid ones?” Jonah added, taking a deep breath to calm himself.

  “You are the stupid one,” Dante teased with a shove.

  “Har har,” Jonah replied sarcastically.

  “Are we through?”

  Everyone turned to Basil who was obviously annoyed.

  “It was a funny joke,” Gypsy piped up.

  “We don’t have time for jokes.”

  “It was needed to relieve the tension in the room.” Cooper gave his jacket a tug. “We can proceed.”

  “Didn’t think the guy was dumb enough to jump a second time,” Danny snickered as he sat on the floor outside the circle. When Basil glared at him, Danny lifted his hands. “Well, it was funny.”

  “You did well, dear,” Gabriella reassured him with a gentle hand to his shoulder. She took her seat beside Danny and smiled at him. “It was good.”

  “Now it’s over. Concentrate people,” Basil demanded.

  “Okay, everyone take your place around the circle and hold hands. Basil, Cooper, in the middle.” Starla waited while they stepped inside, then took her place between them.

  “Kinky.” Everyone glared at Gypsy. “Sorry.”

  They formed a triangle, taking each other’s hands before sitting down inside the circle. “Now, I need everyone to take five deep, cleansing breaths,” Starla instructed.

  As told, everyone took their deep breaths, including Basil and Cooper.

  “Are you two ready?” Starla tipped her head to both men.

  “I’ve been ready for hours,” Basil grumbled.

  “You may proceed.” Cooper gave her a nod.

  “Close your eyes, take in a long deep breath, exhale and focus on the energy around you. Feed off of it.”

  Cooper focused his mind on those around him, drawing on their energy. He felt their energy permeate him, seeping into him like sharp pin pricks to his mind. It did no more than irritate him and didn’t cause him to break his concentration. The goal before him was much more important.

  “Good, now give it to me.”

  Linking with Starla’s mind, Cooper gave her everything he had. He felt Basil’s presence as he released his energy to her as well. It was like being one within one body, all three connected. Then he felt Starla jerk. He clutched tighter to her hand, as did Basil as they fed her the energy. Cooper hoped she could handle it. When he’d released it all, he opened his eyes and saw hers were wide open and white.

  She was absorbing their energy.

  He sensed Danny’s concern and turning his mind to him, reassured him that Starla would be fine. Then Cooper waited while she began to pant. Her body began to sway side to side, back and forward. Almost hypnotically.

  Her head tilted back and when she screamed everyone jumped.

  “Remain as you are. She is—” Coopers words were cut short when the electricity shot into him. Like he’d bitten into a live wire, his body began to convulse. Then he saw it. Light, so bright it nearly blinded him. He felt the air around him shake, if that was possible, then crack with an earsplitting sound. Starla’s screams stopped and he saw her as clear as day in his mind.

  “Go, now. I don’t know how long I can hold it.”

  Grabbing onto Basil, Cooper pulled him into the rift.

  They stood, staring at the vision before them and knew they were not welcomed by the heated glare in Rajana’s ice blue eyes.

  Chapter Twenty-six

  Cooper felt the anger spill off of Rajana like hot lava. It scorched him, inside and out. But he held his ground.

  “You think breaking through my barrier will award you my approval?”

  “Hardly. I haven’t sought your approval in years. We both know why I’m here,” Basil stated calmly even though Cooper knew he felt the burn too. “Where are they?”

  “I have no idea who you are referring to.”

  It shocked Cooper when Rajana flew backwards several feet to land on her rear end. Basil was there, standing over top of her in the blink of an eye. “Where are Trinity and Felicity?”

  Basil was sent flying backwards several feet. Now it was Rajana’s turn to hover over him. “Never raise your hand to me again,” she bellowed loud enough to ripple the air.

  “Go look for them,” Cooper heard inside his mind and without response, went in search of the two they had come for. He could hear the fight between mother and son and prayed Basil came out of it alive. He was torn between doing as Basil asked, and doing what he had promised Trinity. To keep Basil safe.

  “GO!”

  Cooper jumped at the roar in his mind and did as was demanded of him, hurrying off to find Trinity first. How the devil was he supposed to find anyone in all this cloudy whiteness? It was like walking into the washroom after someone had had a steam bath or shower. It felt dewy and cool as he waded through the mist. If he was going to accomplish anything, he would have to do it using his powers.

  Closing his eyes, he focused his mind on Trinity.

  “Ah, finally, you have come to your senses and came to rescue me.”

  Cooper’s heart sped up and he felt a sickness in his belly he hadn’t felt in a long time. “Avadur.”

  “One and the same. I’ve been waiting for you.”

  “I am not here for you,” he spoke using only his mind. He didn’t know where Avadur was and he didn’t care. The demon could rot here for all he cared.

  “But you will save me. Won’t you, Cooper.”

  He felt the fingers dig into his mind, slimy fingers that did more than search. They probed, as they attempted to control. “Never!” He shook his mind clear, or attempted to at least.

  “You are mine now as you ever have been. Come to me, my son.”

  He felt his feet moving, felt his body slide through the misty dew and everything began to blur.

  “Your mind is so clear now, so serine—ah, there is love inside of you now. How interesting.”

  Cooper’s inner senses clicked in and he tried to push the probing fingers away.

  “Oh no, no no no, not now that I have you. Come to me, my son.”

  “I—am—not—your son.” But it didn’t matter how much he tried, his mind was not his own.

  “Your blood is my blood as surely as if I had birthed you. Release me, now.”

  “Cooper. Fight him!” Basil’s voice inside his mind was loud enough to shatter glass and it was enough to break Avadur’s control for a moment.

  Because he didn’t feel safe opening his mind again, Cooper did the next best thing. “Trinity! Where are you?” He yelled out to her as he walked blindly through the white mist.

  “Cooper?”

  “
Yes, it’s me. Where are you?”

  “I don’t know. I’ll keep talking, just follow my voice.”

  He turned in the direction her voice came from.

  “Where is Basil?”

  Left, he decided, and kept pushing through the fog. It was so quiet, other than Trinity’s voice. It was like nothing else existed but the two of them.

  But he knew better.

  “He’s occupying his mother while I search for you.” “What do you mean by occupying?”

  The skepticism and worry in her voice came through loud and clear and as he approached a lone door in the midst of nothing, he knew he’d found her. “They’re having tea. Keep talking.” Her voice was growing stronger, which told him he was on the right track.

  “Ha ha, Coop. Now tell me the truth.”

  Through the mist he saw a door. “Occupying, talking to her, distracting her. Say something.”

  “Jesus, he better not be doing something stupid.”

  She was definitely behind that door. “You’ve met Basil, haven’t you? Now step away from the doorway. I’m going to attempt to kick it down.”

  “Right. Like you would—”

  He booted the door and it flew open.

  “Holy shit!”

  “We must hurry.” Taking her hand, he raced off into the fog and towards the sounds of fighting.

  “That was some kick, Cooper. Who would have thought you had it in you. Oh, shit.”

  They came to an abrupt halt. Before them both Rajana and Basil hovered in mid air, unconscious, while Avadur stood before them.

  Cooper knew now what had to be done. He grabbed Trinity by the arms and jerked her to face him. “Tell Gabriella that I love her eternally and that I will do my best to make it back to her.”

  “What the hell are you talking about, Cooper?”

  “Just do it.” Dragging her towards Basil, he kept his eyes away from Avadur long enough to grab hold of Basil’s arm. He saw the rift and pushed them both through.

  He turned around as the rift closed and lost his breath when Avadur clutched hold of his neck.

  “You will pay for that.”

  ***

  Gabriella gasped when Trinity and Basil fell from the ceiling to drop down directly in the center of the circle. Everyone jumped and scrambled to their feet.