by Jaime Rush
“They’re fighting,” she whispered. “Daddy, you can do it.”
Because if Russell came back, he would kill them.
“You still have Darkness,” Lachlan said, watching the blackness cover her hand.
She shook her head. “I’m using Daddy’s. I realized that if I could feel you touching me, we were connected. And if I touched Russell’s heart, my father would feel it. Maybe it will open a connection between them, since it’s my father’s body. But I’m afraid it’s killing him.”
Russell seemed to have trouble breathing, thrashing about and gasping. Lachlan put his hand over hers and held Russell’s shoulders down. She closed her eyes and seemed to pour every ounce of energy into her hand.
The thrashing stopped. Russell fell still, breathing raggedly. Lachlan squeezed her hand but reached for his sword.
Russell’s eyes opened and he sucked in air. Someone had come back. But who?
“Exploded,” he said. “Void exploded.”
Lachlan knew he should be watching the man, but he was watching her face. Because she would know first who it was. Hope and fear mingled on her expression, in her eyes.
“It’s over,” she said.
The man reached out with a shaky hand and touched her face. “Allybean.”
“Daddy!”
She threw herself down on him, but Lachlan still didn’t trust it. She’d used that trick on Russell, after all. His fingers tightened on the sword. The man put his arms around her. Tears rolled down his temples and he heaved in great sobs.
Lachlan couldn’t stand it anymore. He pulled her to her feet, maybe a bit too hard. “You’d better let your father up, let him breathe.”
She met his gaze, the joy seeping away. “You don’t think . . .”
“I don’t know.” He leaned down and clasped the man’s hand. “Welcome back, sir. Here, let me help you up.”
The man stood, wobbly on his legs. “It’s been so long since I’ve been able to stand.” He didn’t let go of Lachlan’s hand, his body swaying. “Thank you. You saved my daughter. And even better, you love my daughter. Because no way would you have gone into that disgusting pit if you didn’t. I’m Henry, by the way. We weren’t properly introduced.”
Lachlan shook his hand. “Lachlan.”
She was studying her dad. She glanced at Lachlan and smiled. “It’s him. I can see it in his eyes. That’s how I knew it wasn’t him right after it happened.”
Henry laughed, though he leaned against the arm of the couch for support. “He’s still looking out for you. Yes, it’s me.” He took her in with love, not the desperate, manic so-called love in Russell’s eyes, but genuine love. “My little girl.”
She rushed forward, and this time Lachlan relaxed. He still held the sword, but he enjoyed their reunion.
Finally, she backed up enough to take Henry in with the same love. “What happened?”
“I was shocked to see Russell appear in the Void, especially in my chamber. The place was really breaking apart. He looked terrified. I felt heat in my chest, and I could feel you calling to me. And suddenly I was free. He lunged at me, and we fought, while the whole place was tilting at crazy angles. I felt stronger than I’ve felt in years. I pushed him at the wall, and it grabbed him. Swallowed him. I woke up here.” He took them in, a warm smile on his face.
“Daddy, can you feel if you still have Darkness?”
He looked at his hands, then patted himself. “I feel different. Lighter.”
She was nodding. “Yeah, me, too.”
He flexed his fingers. “And I can’t bring it out.”
“But how?”
“The Void sucked it out of us. I could feel it, drawing the Darkness into itself.”
She looked at Lachlan. “I’m free!” She hugged him, holding him tight. Just as quickly, she backed away and her joy dimmed. “But Magnus isn’t.”
“Magnus?” Henry asked.
She told him what had happened.
“No, you can’t go to him. Not together. If he feels any attachment to you, he could kill Lachlan. Or you.”
Lachlan’s phone rang at that moment. It was Cheveyo’s number on the screen, which meant Magnus was waking up. He answered.
“Hey, it’s Cheveyo. Is everything all right there?”
He looked at Jessie. “Couldn’t be better. Is Magnus . . .”
“He’s been mumbling, shifting around, trying to open his eyes. I think he’s going to come out any minute.”
“Thank God.” Lachlan felt his chest lighten and simultaneously get heavy. “I’ll be right there.” He looked at them. “I’m going. Magnus is coming round.”
She walked closer, her hand on his arm. “I should—”
“No. I’ll tell him.”
She stood right in front of him. “Tell him what?”
“About Darkness. And us.”
Relief suffused her smile. She put her hand on his cheek. “When you tell him—and you’ll be thrashing yourself while you do—I want you to remember that you are an honorable man.”
“Honor is all I have.”
“No, you have value and . . . you have my love. You didn’t set out to steal me away from Magnus. You wanted to scare me away from him. But I never belonged to him or to anyone. Until you. I belong to you, Lachlan. You have my heart now. It’s not a gift you can return, by the way. Or give to someone else.” She slid her hand to the place over his heart. “I told you that I know your heart. It’s a good heart. Worthy of being loved.”
Her words filled him with warmth, with strength to do what he needed to do. “A wise man recently told me that honor doesn’t fill a heart, doesn’t warm a bed or slake desires. He was right.” He cupped her cheek. “You do. I’ll do anything to help my brother to get through this. Except give you up. I won’t do that.”
He kissed her, soft and sweet, because he had to leave, because her father was standing there watching them. “I’ll call you.” He rubbed his thumb across her lower lip and pulled away.
He’d held onto his honor because he thought that was all he had. Now he had much more. He hoped he had a brother who would forgive him, because finally, he had forgiven himself.
Acknowledgments
Thank you to Barrie James; it was your voice I heard when Lachlan spoke. Thanks for introducing me to the singular pleasure of British ales.
Nanine Case, I love our enlightening conversations while driving to the tube. I’ll let you figure out which scene you inspired.
Louie Pastore, a researcher in Scottish martial arts, for your help in getting it right.
To David Schleifer, author of sci-fi adventure, who also helped with swordplay.
And to Crystal Adams-Clark, for giving me the great title for Beyond the Darkness.
About the Author
Since she was a kid, JAIME RUSH devoured books on unexplained mysteries and psychic phenomena. She knew she would be published, marry a fabulous guy, and win a Toyota Supra. Missing the romance, relationship drama, and action of her favorite television shows—X-Files, Roswell, and Highlander—she created her own mix in the Offspring series.
Jaime loves to hear from readers (unless they’re deranged or don’t have something nice to say).
You can reach her at
PO Box 10622, Naples, Florida 34101,
or through her website at www.jaimerush.com.
Visit www.AuthorTracker.com for exclusive information on your favorite HarperCollins authors.
By Jaime Rush
DARKNESS BECOMES HER
BEYOND THE DARKNESS
BURNING DARKNESS
TOUCHING DARKNESS
OUT OF THE DARKNESS
A PERFECT DARKNESS
Copyright
This book is a work of fiction. References to real people, events, establishments, organizations, or locales are intended only to provide a sense of authenticity, and are used fictitiously. All other characters, and all incidents and dialogue, are drawn from the author’s imagination and are not to b
e construed as real.
DARKNESS BECOMES HER. Copyright © 2012 by Tina Wainscott. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
EPub Edition JUNE 2012 ISBN: 9780062096579
Print Edition ISBN: 9780062018922
FIRST EDITION
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