Tempted by Darkness

by Avery Gale

  As they’d promised, her grandmother and Cecil stood nearby by to act as a buffer between her and the dark side of magic because the temptation grew stronger every time Kit walked along the narrow line separating the light and dark sides of magical power. She’d finally come to realize their concern wasn’t because they questioned her integrity—it was because they knew how easy it would be to simply become too exhausted to fight it and be caught in the vortex and sucked away from everything she loved and believed in.

  When she’d questioned why the temptation didn’t appear to challenge Braden, Cecil had laughed quietly and assured her that his test would come. Cecil had calmly explained, “We are all tested, Kit. Each of us has our mettle tested at least once—most of us several times during our lives. How we meet those challenges—the choices we make determine when and if we are tested again. Each test strengthens or weakens something within us. It is not ours to question the process, we need only meet the tests head-on, choose wisely and then use the newfound power we’ve earned in a way that makes the world a better place.”

  Later, as she’d mulled over Cecil’s words, Kit realized they were reflected in the basic tenants of almost every one of the world’s religions. It made perfect sense since the magical world drew its power from the Universe, but having it spelled out so clearly had been a defining moment for her as a witch. And now, letting the energy of the earth flow through her, Kit watched as the scene seemed to build itself piece by piece in her mind, but this time she didn’t feel like she was standing alone in that cavern. As they’d promised, Cecil and her grandmother were by her side. She glanced to each side and was startled to see they were solid forms, unlike Braden who was only present in spirit—just as she was. Her grandmother’s voice moved though her mind like a soft summer breeze, “Remember your part. Don’t deviate from the plan, no matter what you see or hear. Everything comes down to this moment—do exactly as you’ve been asked to do and always remember…I love you.”

  Before Kit could respond, the grandmother she adored turned away from her. The sound of Sanskrit chants filled the space and Kit watched in horror as the wizard and Granny Good Witched stepped into the dimly lit open space. The rock surrounding the seal looked as if someone had been jack hammering it—even though there hadn’t been a lot of progress made, Kit could see the granite was being pulverized and falling to the floor as she watched. It didn’t take her long to notice the amount of dust falling softly to the floor was proportional to the intensity of the chants, and that explained why her granny and Cecil were so intent on interrupting the group gathered there.

  Braden’s strength infused her and she could feel her mates pulling power from the earth as they let it course freely through their bodies to infuse in hers. Pushing her hands further in front of her, Kit began repeating the spell she’d been practicing for the past few days without any measurable success. But this time, she immediately felt the difference as the ground around her seemed to shift. Fighting to stay focused rather than worry about the confrontation she could see taking place in front of her, Kit closed her eyes and continued casting the spell.

  When she finally opened her eyes, she was horrified by what she saw. As her concentration lagged, Kit felt the shaking ground begin to settle before Braden’s harsh demands to focus filled her mind. ‘No, we have to stay focused, Kit.’ Even though she didn’t close her eyes, Kit used every bit of her concentration to push the power they were giving her into the spell. As the enormous boulders fell between the shadows where she and Braden were hidden and where the others stood, the dust and debris soon blocked her view. She hadn’t seen Devin, but she could feel his presence as he added his power when hers started to lag.

  Kit felt the energy draining from her and fought to hold on as long as possible. When she finally collapsed she felt strong arms lifting her just as the edges of her vision began to dim. The blackness raced to a center point and the din of crashing rocks began to fade, and then there was nothing but blissful silence.

  Trev felt as if his whole body was numb. Watching as Cecil and Ruby were consumed by the avalanche of boulders, he felt the moment Kit’s focus had faltered. And he’d also felt her renewed commitment to the task even as her heart had been torn to bits by what she’d seen. Jameson had caught their mate as she’d collapsed from sheer exhaustion and all three Michaels were tending to Braden, and he was shocked to see Marcus, his arm around Devin’s shoulders, as he spoke to his brother quietly. He felt them all moving back to the estate’s main house and almost immediately Trev was surrounded in nothing but the soft sounds of nature and his own harsh breaths.

  Trev was still on his hands and knees gasping for breath, his head pounding as if it would explode when he felt soft, cool fingers smooth over his forehead. He hadn’t even realized he’d closed his eyes until he turned into the touch looking to see whose touch was soothing his pain, but there wasn’t anyone there. Blinking, he looked again and that was when he saw a faint mist outline and knew immediately who had touched him.

  “Mom?” He watched in wonder as she reached for him and once again he felt her distinct touch and the unmistakable leaching of the pain pounding through his head. Closing his eyes at the relief, he felt more than saw her smile. When he reopened his eyes, Trev could feel his fathers’ presence even though there wasn’t anything to indicate they were also actually nearby.

  ‘She’s perfect for you, just as we knew she’d be. We are so proud of the men you have become—the leadership you exhibit, the compassionate way you care for those around you. But most of all we are proud of you as husbands and fathers. There is no greater joy for a parent than knowing their children have learned how to love.’

  When he felt her presence start to fade, his strangled “Don’t go, please, just a bit longer” sounded desperate, but he didn’t care.

  ‘I’m never far away, your fathers and I are always nearby. Playing with our grandchildren is far too tempting.’ Her soft laughter filled his heart with joy and for the first time since he’d lost them, his heart didn’t ache when he thought about all he’d lost. ‘Go to her and let her know we are so proud of her, too. And assure her that things are not always as they appear.’

  Before he could ask her what she’d meant, Trev felt a cool breeze move over him and knew without even looking around that she was gone. Staggering to his feet, Trev only managed to take a few steps before pack members surrounded him.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Jameson was certain he’d never felt as helpless as he had while holding Kit after what had happened in front of the lab. She had awoken before they’d reached the house and her shattered cries had broken his heart. The grief pouring from her was almost tangible and he’d felt her overwhelming sorrow even before Trev had made his way to the house and explained what had happened. Jameson had known his brother was holding something back, but he’d been so focused on calming Kit down that he hadn’t had time to ask any questions. They’d finally asked Angie to sedate their mate and that decision still tore him apart. What sort of mate was he—hell, what sort of Alpha was he that he couldn’t comfort his own wife? The woman held his heart in the palm of her hand and he hadn’t been able to reach her, hadn’t been able to soothe her broken heart and it was killing him.

  “It’s not your fault, Jameson. She’d put everything she had into it and there just wasn’t anything left in her to cope with what she’d seen. Kit is stronger than any of us can begin to imagine, she’ll be okay—maybe not today, or even tomorrow, but she will bounce back.” Angie stood beside him and Jameson could feel her studying him with an intensity that he might have found unnerving any other time.

  “I hope to hell you are right, because I’m not sure I’ll survive feeling her break apart in my arms again.” It had nearly destroyed him feeling her pain and not being able to bring her even the smallest measure of peace. After hearing Trev and Braden recount what had taken place, Jameson knew guilt and grief combined were going to take a long time to heal. “Is Trev stil
l sleeping?” His brother had barely been conscious when he’d been carried into their suite. Jameson had put the two of them side by side in their bed knowing they’d seek the warmth and comfort of one another in their sleep.

  “Yes. I’ve checked him over, physically he is fine—just completely drained. I’m not sure why he suffered from the energy drain more than you did, but he is almost as exhausted as she is.”

  Jameson turned to his cousin and saw the questions in her eyes, even though she hadn’t asked them directly he owed her an explanation. “The gift our mother promised him is the ability to feel what Kit feels and see through her eyes when the situation warrants it.” He saw Angie’s eyes widen in surprise and he nodded. “He isn’t sure it’s much of a gift, but I’m in hopes he’ll find a way to use it that honors our mother’s memory. Hell, I can’t even imagine how painful it had to have been to feel Kit’s heart breaking—and I don’t want to know.” Breathing out a sigh, Jameson could only hope that Kit’s parents would be able to help. He’d put out an emergency call to them, but wasn’t sure how long it would take them to respond.

  Trev stretched as he began to surface from the respite of sleep and felt Kit snuggled close at his side. As his mind came more fully awake his heart was once again weighed down when the memories of what he’d seen replayed in his mind. Before he could fall into a pit of worry he felt the same cool breeze brush over his cheek that he’d felt when his parents had moved around him outside the lab and he smiled at the familiarity of it. Opening his eyes, he looked around, and even though he didn’t see anything, he was still filled with an unexplained peace as he remembered his mother’s message for Kit. He’d thought his sweet mate was still sleeping until he heard her sniff.

  Turning to his side, he pulled her against his chest and kissed the top of her head. He didn’t speak for several minutes, there really wasn’t much to say as she purged some of her grief with silent sobs. His heart was breaking for her, but until she’d had a chance to wash away some of the heartache with tears, Trev knew she wasn’t going to be ready to hear his mother’s message—ambiguous as it was.

  Trev looked up to see Jameson standing in the doorway, his arms crossed over his bare chest and his face creased with worry. ‘Is she alright? Do I need to get Angie?’

  ‘No, she is settling now. Please stay, I want you to hear what I have to say.’ Trev saw the worry flash in his brother’s expression, so he continued. ‘I saw Mom, she was there after you left.’ Jameson’s eyes widened and Trev could see his surprise.

  ‘Fuck, did you get hit on the head? Hell, maybe I should call Angie for you.’ Trev grinned because he knew his twin was trying to cover his shock with sarcasm, and if their positions were reversed he might well do the same. ‘I’ll order something for us to eat, our mate has to be running on empty. I’m anxious talk to Braden again and she also needs to hear his version of what happened, so I doubt she’ll eat much but we need to try.’ Trev watched him move from the room and heard him speaking on the phone.

  “Come on, baby. We need to get you cleaned up and dressed so we can talk before chaos erupts again.” God what he’d give for a few weeks kicking back on some secluded beach watching his family play in the warm sunshine—letting it recharge all of their souls. Sighing to himself, Trev let the fantasy slide away. He hated moving her, but letting her sink into despair wasn’t an option either. By the time they’d both cleaned up and dressed, their food had arrived. He and Jameson watched as she nibbled absently at the sandwich and shoved her favorite salad around on her plate. Her eyes were bleak and her face so pale that her skin appeared almost translucent.

  Jameson leaned forward and covered her trembling hand with his, compassion filling his gaze, “Kitten, I’ve talked to Braden, but I’d also like to hear from you what happened.” She nodded slowly. “I know you are completely spent, but I’d like to do this before any of the details slip from your memory. One of the first things I’d like to know is where exactly this cavern is. Since you were projecting yourself, I’m certain it could be anywhere in the world, but there was some unexplained seismic activity in our area today so I’m curious.”

  Trev was pleased that Jameson had chosen to begin their discussion with a question that didn’t have any emotional components for Kit. It was moments like this that Trev could clearly see his twin’s gift for leadership. The fact he’d instinctively known what direction to take was impressive.

  “It is close…amazingly so, actually. But it’s also very, very deep beneath the surface. The good thing is there won’t be any way anyone will be able to make their way to the seal. The chanting was eroding the rock surrounding it, I watched it being slowly eaten away—falling to the stone floor as a fine dust. They hadn’t made much progress, but they would have been able to loosen then remove the seal given enough time.” Kit straightened in her chair and Trev watched in awe as she seemed to pull strength from the air surrounding her. Her posture straightened and her eyes cleared as she continued, “I didn’t fully realize it at the time, but Damian was screaming at me from the other side to stop. He was crazed—calling out to Braden as well, but Braden never faltered. That young wizard never lost a moment’s concentration, despite the fact he was losing a man he loved with everything he had. I could feel his determination to protect all of us, but his love for Angie, Trent, and Nick was his driving force.” A single tear breached the bottom lid of her eyes and raced one another to her trembling chin.

  Trev and Jameson each reached forward to swipe away the tear on their side before placing a soft kiss over the damp track. The tension that had made its way back into her body slowly ebbed away. Taking a deep breath, she continued, “Never doubt his loyalty to our pack. He’s lost so many people he has loved, but he didn’t hesitate to let the rocks fall around a man he loved so he could protect us all. I can’t even imagine having to make such a decision at his age.” ‘She doesn’t see that she possesses that same strength—that her loss was even greater than Braden’s.’ Jameson’s thoughts filled Trev’s mind, echoing his own.

  “What can you tell me about the people who were chanting?” Jameson looked between them both and Trev wondered how much Kit was going to be willing to reveal. He hadn’t recognized any of them, but he was certain their mate had.

  “There were several there that I have seen, but didn’t know personally. They weren’t particularly power—either in the political arena of the magic world or in their magical abilities, but they were adding power to those who were actually able to chisel away at the stone holding the seal in place.” Trev watched as her eyes darkened with fury, “The ones I recognized are—well, were very powerful witches and wizards. Two of them were on the Supreme Council.” She took a steadying breath and looked between them before whispering, “I thought Granny Good Witch and Cecil were along to make sure I wasn’t tempted by the darkness—but that wasn’t it at all. They were there to catch the traitors or at least to make sure they died for their actions, even though it cost them their own lives.”

  When the tears started again, Trev pulled her onto his lap and rocked her as she cried. This time he didn’t curse the gift his mother had given him—this time he simply tried to absorb as much of her sadness as he could. The more of it he was slowly able to shift to himself, the less burden he felt weighing her down, and for the first time the gift actually seemed to more than a curse. As an earthbound creature, he would easily be able to disperse the grief simply by taking a punishing run through the woods. His wolf would simply pull positive energy from beneath his feet to erase the negative.

  Making their way downstairs, Jameson was pleased to see the meeting room filled with the members of their pack. Kit was quickly swept away from his side by friends wanting to express their sympathy and those simply wanting to share their favorite stories about Ruby. By the time they’d finished briefing everyone, Kit’s eyes were drifting closed as exhaustion once again claimed her.

  The first thing Jameson did after everyone adjourned was clear his sc
hedule for the next few weeks. His mate was quickly approaching her mating season and there wouldn’t be much accomplished during that time except fucking her, and he didn’t intend to miss a moment’s time with her. She would also need their undivided attention while she tried to process the loss she’d suffered, hell, everyone at the estate was mourning Ruby’s loss. Trev had relayed their mother’s message, but it was so vague it really hadn’t been any comfort to anyone. Jameson had sat back watching as Kit smiled and nodded, but she hadn’t seemed moved by the words and he couldn’t say that he blamed her.

  The only loose end he planned to follow up on was bringing Libby Wells on board. Her scare at the university had probably worked in their favor and even though he was convinced the danger was likely over for now, her friendship with Kit would probably put her in harm’s way again. He’d suggested that Charlie and Dirk make some much-needed improvements to their house, and both men had immediately begun making plans. He didn’t doubt the pint-sized whirlwind would keep them all on their toes, but he was determined to make sure she was safe while she and Angie worked. The two of them were going to make history—he could feel it as if he’d almost been able to see the future. And who knew—perhaps his parents were speaking to him from the other side as well.

  Leaning back in his chair, he smiled when Tristan Michaels stepped into the room. “Where is your mate?” Jameson almost smiled at the pained look on Tristan’s face. Angie had always been an early riser, before Jameson had moved her back to the safety of the estate, she’d have already been on her way to the hospital by this time and the sun was just now sending golden orange rays shooting above the horizon.