Tempting Darkness(Darkness Series)

Book 2 Chapter 1

Darius

My mind is spinning as I hold the hellhounds off. One stupid mistake nearly cost her life. I should never have taken her out of the castle grounds without the others. The entire situation is shocking, but I am most shocked about the fact that she could have drained me of my power and portaled out and run, leaving me. Instead, she stayed to protect me. I knew something was off about her, but never in my wildest dreams did I think she was Harmony-Fae and an elemental on top of that. Not for one second did I ever entertain that idea; she shouldn’t exist. It’s like finding a unicorn, a mythical creature, impossible. Aleera would be a lethal weapon if appropriately trained.

Why would she keep it from us? We would have protected her. However, it made so much sense now why her parents tried to kill her.

“Aleera, stay with me, love,” I call to her as my magic falters after getting hit with a blast of air. I scan my surroundings as my flame walls suddenly encase us, and I barely cover her body with mine in time to stop the flames from burning her. Using more power, I have no choice but to reinforce them again.

Come on, Tobias, where are you? I think just before I feel his presence getting close. Lycus’ presence also feels near as my mark stops burning on my wrist. Kalen isn’t here, and I wonder what they did to subdue him for him to remain at home. I know that man would walk through fire for her. We all would. Tobias and I have!

As I feel their energy draw nearer, I hear whimpers and shouting around me, yet the shudder against my shield as they bounce off it tells me they would get to her if I drop it because our mates still aren’t near enough.

“Tobias, behind you!” Lycus calls out before I hear him grunt. Pain slivers through our bond from Tobias and in a panic makes me drop the shield. My eyes instantly find him fighting with the man from town. It is the same man that walked out in front of my car. I hear a vicious snarl as the hellhounds lunge at us, ripping me back to my surroundings. My body covers Aleera’s head to shield her, expecting the hellhounds to sink their teeth into us any second, yet my thoughts are interrupted by the fierce sounds of flesh being ripped from bone and a mighty furious roar.

Lycus’ giant black wolf grips the hellhound’s neck in his powerful jaws, ripping the hellhound back at the last second and slamming it onto the ground. He shakes his head, ripping out the beast’s throat and spraying himself and me in blood. Looking around, I notice he and Tobias have taken out the others, and the only person left is the man Tobias is fighting. Fool. Thinking he can sneak up on a vampiric-fae. It would have been smarter if he ran. Tobias pivots at the last second and plunges his hand through the man’s chest, his entire body becomes engulfed in flames as Tobias’ magic burns through him. His screams drill into my ears and make goosebumps rise on my arms.

“i***t,” I mutter, thinking his puny air magic is a match for a fire user. Tobias rips his hand out, leaving the man’s burning corpse to fall at his feet. The hellhounds put up more of a fight.

Tobias instantly runs over to us. Lycus’ big black wolf also approaches, his giant wolf towers over me and Aleera, sharp claws and sharp teeth that can rip flesh from bone. No wonder his father used him in the pits, he was truly a terrifying beast, even in this form he packed more muscle than I’ve seen of any shifter.

Lycus sniffs and licks my face, then nudges me with his nose. I push his head away, lifting my body from Aleera’s unconscious one. He sniffs her, licking her cheek, and nudging her. A low whining whimper slips out of him when she doesn't wake. Tobias comes over and runs his hand down Lycus’ back before gripping his fur.

“She will be okay. Let us get her home,” Tobias tells him, and Lycus whines while I get to my knees. Scooping my arms under her, I grab her, picking her up and crushing her to my chest. Blood trickles from her nose, ears, and eyes from using my magic. The amount she used tells me she must have never harnessed that much at once.

Being an elemental, magic should come easy to her unless she hasn’t used it or trained with it. Tobias walks over to the car, and Lycus shifts back to give him a hand as they push it back on its wheels. The car bangs and bounces as it is turned back upright.

“She has seen better days,” Tobias mutters at my ruined car. Tobias pushes it off to the side of the road. Lycus retrieves the stuff from the trunk having to break it open so he can retrieve our belongings from the ruined vehicle.

“Yep, need another one now,” Lycus hums.

“The car is replaceable. Lives aren’t,” I tell them, and they nod. Lycus flicks his fingers at it, setting it alight while Tobias opens a portal. I groan as I stagger toward it with Aleera in my arms. Tobias comes to take her from me, but I pull away, unwilling to let her go, and he looks at me questionably.

I glance down at her petite body, she looks small in my arms, delicate. “She saved my life. She could have run, but she didn’t.” I murmur, it confuses me. After everything I have done she still chose to save me.

“Goes to show how wrong you were about our girl,” Tobias chuckles.

“We were all wrong.” I tell him lifting my gaze to his. Tobias brushes her cheek with the backs of his fingers.

“Yeah, you were,” Tobias murmurs but I shake my head.

“No, Tobias. I know why her parents tried to kill her.” I tell him and he looks at me questionably. “She is a Harmony-Fae,” I tell him, and the shock on his face is apparent.

Lycus chuckles. “Yeah, right, there is no harmony left, and what would be the chances of finding a Harmony-Fae? Impossible?” Lycus snickers.

“She is also an elemental.” I add, that takes them aback and they gape down at her. Lycus shakes his head.

I stare at him, and he looks at Tobias, who nods to him that I’m telling the truth.

“What?” Lycus stutters.

“Aleera is an elemental Harmony-Fae. She took my magic and protected me while I was knocked out. I woke up to her above me holding them off,” I tell him.

“f**k!” Lycus curses, and so does Tobias. This means the war we are fighting to protect her has more meaning now, the stakes are higher. If anyone finds out about her, she would have an entire world of fae after her and not just the enemy we have been building an army against to protect her from.

It’s bad enough that I was stuck for years, going through tests to recreate the genes running through me until I said no more and put an end to it. Not like they could force me when I could melt their insides with a click of my fingers. However, with Aleera, no amount of fear for what she could do would stop the council from coming for her, I know because I helped my father for years trying to track down the Harmony-Fae that survived. Though we never did get an explanation as to why a few survived and the rest didn’t. However, the council made sure to eradicate them when they did.

Stepping through the portal, I find Kalen shackled by Lycus’ magic. If looks could kill, we would all be dead for forcing him to remain behind. Tobias flicks his fingers in his direction as we step into our room, releasing him from the hold of Lycus’ magic. The moment he’s released, he stands up and punches Tobias.

“How f*****g dare you!” Kalen snarls at him while Tobias rubs his jaw before grabbing his throat. Lycus flops on the bed, and I turn my attention back to Tobias, who presses his lips against Kalen’s.

“I will let that slide, but don’t push me, Kalen. It’s unsafe for you,” Tobias growls, then tugs him closer and embraces him. Kalen’s eyes go to Aleera in my arms as he tries to escape. Tobias sighs, releasing him so he can rush over and take her from me.

Kalen all but snatches her off me, hugging her close, and burying his face in her neck. He wanders off, laying her down beside Lycus. “You gave her magic?” he asks, and I know he’s assessing her aura when a thought occurs to me.

“You knew she was a Harmony-Fae, didn’t you?” I question.

Kalen growls but nods. “I noticed earlier when one of the phoenixes power-shared with her,” he says, matter-of-factly like he hadn’t kept it from us.

“You didn’t think to say something?” I growl, annoyed at him.

“Not my place to say. I figured she would tell you when she trusted you,” Kalen retorts, unfazed by my anger. He leans down and kisses her before adjusting her on the bed, so her head is resting on Lycus’ shoulder.

“She needs magic, Darius. She won’t run,” Kalen says, looking over at me.

“I know. She could have, but she didn’t,” I told him, lifting my shirt to find a piece of the door trim stabbed into my side. Tobias hisses as I groan, ripping the piece of metal out. “Sorry,” he briefly presses his lips to my shoulder before his hand covers the wound, and he tries to heal me.

“Save it. I will heal on my own. Save it for Aleera,” I groan, sitting down and holding my hand to the side to stem the bleeding while I wait for it to heal. We all kind of sit around in silence, everyone in shock at what we just learned. All of us are lost in our thoughts until Ryze flies in the window and shrieks, landing on the windowsill.