Blood Beyond Darkness Read online

  Marguerite blushed and swished her hand at him.

  Lars actually smiled at her. “This is not something I ever thought I would say or feel, but whatever happens tomorrow ... I am proud of all of you here. I never imagined working with some of you.” He motioned down the table to the Dark Dwellers. “Though times like these produce interesting bedfellows. It has been an honor to work with you.” He nodded at Cole who tilted his beer in acknowledgement. “Ember.” My name jolted me stiffer in my seat. “You have been the biggest surprise of all. Good and bad. I never thought I could care about anything ... especially after losing your mother. As a Demon I never desired a family. The moment you stepped onto my property, my feelings changed. I finally understood Aisling’s decision to protect you, choosing to save you over herself.”

  My lids were flimsy dams, barely holding back the torrent wanting to break through and pour down my face.

  “Daughter or niece, it does not matter to me.” He kept his face like stone, but I saw past the façade. It didn’t matter to me, either, whether he was my father or my uncle. I loved him enough for both. “Aisling would be so proud of you, and so am I. I believe you will fulfill the prophecy tomorrow and become an excellent queen.” He raised his cup while everyone at the table joined in. We clinked glasses and dove into the meal Marguerite had prepared.

  As I sat there and looked around, bile crept up my throat. The becoming-queen part always seemed to slip my mind, focusing on simply getting through the war. Not thinking about what would happen afterwards if we did win. Neither outcome, win or lose, was a good one for me. Eli was not a part of either scenario. Happiness would be elusive to me. But my happiness wasn’t the point, was it? In some ways, fate had never let my life be completely mine. I had to make the best of whatever happened. For Earth and for the people who survived.

  My reflections drifted away as dinner went on. The number of times glasses were raised and filled along with other speeches lightened my mood. We probably shouldn’t have been drinking before the battle, but it could be our last night together. We were going to enjoy it. When the tequila shots came out, so did the stories. My stomach ached as West told us about the night he, Cooper, and Eli hid in a church to get away from the cops.

  “Eli jumped into the confessional booth to hide.” West’s eyes glistened with amusement as he recalled the memory. “It would have been perfect if there wasn’t already someone in it. Do you remember Eli?” West burst out laughing.

  A chuckle came out of Eli. “Yeah. The little old woman grabbed me by the ear, made me sit down, and confess.” Eli shook his head as everyone roared with laughter. “Damn, she was a mean old bat.”

  “The best was when we came to find him.” Cooper took a gulp of air. “She was hitting him in the shin with her cane when he stopped talking. She kept saying, ‘“Don’t roll your eyes at me, boy. Keep talking. I can tell you’re slicker than a snake in soap.’”

  “Don’t forget she sat both your asses down after mine.” Eli pointed at both Cooper and West.

  West wiped at his eyes, chuckles rolling from his chest. “Even if the cops had found us, they probably would have let us go. Her punishment was much more severe than what they could have given us.”

  My stomach muscles were cramped and sore, my face a mess with tears after listening to their stories.

  Lars stayed longer than I thought, even after dessert was finished. He sat back, taking in his assembly of people around his table. Once I could have sworn I saw amusement flicker in his eyes, but it could have been the alcohol making me see things. Gorgon eventually came in, whispering something in Lars’ ear, which took the Unseelie King away. Rez followed. Maya and Koke disappeared soon after, never being ones to relax and have fun.

  I’d been sure Alki would be the first to leave; his entire philosophy stood opposed to having fun. Well, at least this kind of fun. He usually got his enjoyment in torturing me with drills and endless hours of training. But here he sat. Gabby went to the bathroom, and when she came back she sat down in the vacated seat next to Alki. He only acknowledged her with a slight shift of his head but a smile filled my face. I looked down, so my hair would curtain my reaction.

  Cal wind-milled his arms around. “My new floaties!” Sliced olives circled his biceps like mini inner tubes.

  Eli reached over and broke off a piece of olive and plopped it in his mouth. “Tasty floaty.”

  “Heyyyy!” Cal threateningly pointed at Eli as the other half of the olive slid off his arm and onto the table.

  I grinned and looked at Eli. “I wouldn’t mess with the man’s new floatation devices.”

  Eli scoffed. “I’d like to see him stay afloat with those.”

  “Don’t worry, Cal. I will get you real ones.” Barbie had a pool collection, right?

  He nodded in response, deflated, and glared at Eli before he broke a chunk of olive from his other arm and chomped down on it.

  “Multi-functional.” I grinned.

  Cal turned his glower on me, then shrugged. “Aye.”

  Kennedy’s peal of laughter brought my attention across the table, but she didn’t hold it. In the large, arched window behind her I caught a pair of glowing, green eyes. The intensity of the gaze was so familiar I had to look at Eli to reassure myself he sat beside me. When I looked back, the eyes were gone.

  Lorcan.

  Lorcan watching us didn’t bother me like it normally would have. I didn’t know if it was the tequila talking or whether I had gotten to know him better. It pissed me off and made me feel guilty, but I no longer despised him. There were times, if I didn’t think about his past or mine, I would say I might even acknowledge he was okay.

  Oh, yeah ... it’s the booze talking.

  Kennedy laughed so hard at something she slipped off her chair, knocking Jared over with her. Everyone at the table roared in amusement, while the pair giggled so hard every time they tried to get back up, they failed.

  Jared pulled her to him and kissed her on the forehead. “See, this is how we are supposed to be. We belong together.” His lips met her head again, forcefully. “I’ve missed you. You. Are. Mine. No one else’s.”

  Kennedy yanked out of his hold. Friction swelled between them, overflowing to the rest of the room.

  “I am not yours, Jared. We’ve been through this,” she said quietly, sitting up, her back straight. “I am not something you own. Especially now.”

  Like a switch, Jared’s entire demeanor changed. He sat and leaned back on his hands, his aura filled with cocky aggression. “And how many times have I explained to you? I am Dark Dweller. You are mine. I claimed you. It’s how we work.”

  Kennedy shot to her feet. “You seem to easily forget you are also part human. What is with you lately? You are trying so hard to be something you aren’t.” Arms folded, her gaze shifted to the floor. “I-I thought we could still be friends ...” She pushed at the middle of her glasses, and with a big sigh, she returned her attention to Jared. “Yes, you are Dark Dweller, but you are also human. You used to be simply Jared, the boy I loved, which doesn’t seem to be enough for you anymore.”

  “Funny, I seem to be the one who is not enough for you anymore.” He got up, his shoulders tight and hunched. He moved over her, his words accusatory. “Plus, why the hell do I want to be ‘just Jared’? It’s weak and pathetic. Everyone treats me either like I am going to break or I’m stupid.”

  “I am human also. Would you say I’m weak or stupid?” Kennedy exclaimed. Her tiny figure did not cower under his looming body.

  “No.”

  “Then why would you say those things? You are anything but them.” Her brows wedged down, pinching the bridge of her nose.

  Jared snorted. “Really? You of all people are asking me why? When you are the one who treats me the most like an idiot. You don’t think I can see the truth, but I do. I am not blind.” He stepped away, their gazes locked. Jared didn’t elaborate, but at least three of us in the room knew what he meant. The whole room probabl
y did.

  Jared’s face was tight, straining the skin across his forehead. He cocked his head to look around the room. “You are all about me accepting my human side. Then, fine. I am eighteen. An adult. I make my own choices.”

  “Jared, you lost a few years in the Otherworld. You are not emotionally eighteen yet.” Owen pushed back his chair and rose.

  Cole shoved his seat back. “I know you’re upset with my decision, but I’d rather you hate me than get killed. We talked about it. I can’t afford for you to be rash or reckless. Not with something this serious. You are young, and you think you’re invincible.” He got to his feet. “As much as you hate it, being half human does cause you to be more vulnerable. I will not risk losing you because you are careless and untrained for what lies ahead.”

  Dark Dwellers were never ones to coddle someone emotionally. They might try to keep Jared protected physically, but they were nothing but direct when it came to emotions.

  Jared’s chest filled with air. “You think I want to be half human? An embarrassment to the clan. I want to be full Dark Dweller, so I can be treated like one of you.”

  Owen’s chair crashed to the floor as he charged around the table, propelling all of us to our feet. “Don’t say that!” Owen growled, his voice deep, rumbling the room. In the time I had known Owen I had never seen him lose his temper. You could almost forget he was a Dark Dweller. But now the beast was vivid in him. His pupils became diamond shaped, his shoulders curled forward as he stomped to Jared. Muscles twitched under his skin, responding to his emotions. The beast wanted to come out. He stood a few inches taller than his son, and he used it to his full advantage. Jared retreated a few steps. “You are half your mother—one of the strongest people I have ever known. Do not be ashamed of what she was. Do not insult her memory.”

  Jared’s nose flared, his jaw tightening. “But I’ve done all the training. I thought you’d change your mind when you saw how good I am. And I am good.”

  Owen lowered his head, and a shudder went through his body as he took a deep breath. The beast was being reigned back in. “You are. But it’s not enough.”

  Jared’s face turned a deep shade of red as his hands clenched tighter to his side.

  “I lost your mother. I will not lose you, too.” Owen whispered, veering back to the table.

  A silence hushed over the room before Cole broke it.

  “You are anything but an embarrassment to us. You are the glue keeping our family together. You are our life blood, and if anything happened to you ...”

  Jared’s eyes filled with tears. He looked away. “You can’t keep me in a bubble forever.”

  Cole let his head drop. “I know. But this is not the time. I would prefer if Kennedy stayed, too, but she has to go. She’s vital piece in the war.”

  “Yeah, yeah. Not wanted.” Jared shook his head and walked to the doorway. “Message received.” His fist hit the wall as he stormed out, putting an exclamation mark on his departure. Jared’s fury was not only about not fighting in the war. I didn’t know for certain, but it seemed pretty obvious he and Kennedy had broken up, and Jared was not too happy about it.

  Kennedy didn’t move to follow him. She turned towards the glass doors leading to the outdoor patio, yanked them open, and disappeared into the darkness.

  “What a total bumblebee kill.” Cal sauntered across the table.

  “Huh?” I replied.

  West rolled his eyes. “Buzz kill, tinker-toy, as in inebriated. Not as in the sound a bee makes.”

  Both Simmons and Cal tilted their heads.

  “Oh, yeah, I kinda wondered about that one.” Cal put his hands on his hips.

  West and Cooper were teaching slang to the pixies. The results were pretty humorous.

  Cole placed his hands on the table and leaned into them. “Jared will eventually grow out of this stage.” Cole nodded at Eli, Cooper, and Gabby. “I’ve been through this before with you three.”

  Eli nodded. “Yeah, we were probably even worse than him. It’s a hard time for adolescent Dark Dwellers, but one that is also going through human puberty as well ...”

  “He’s still mentally and physically fifteen, even if he wants to already be eighteen. He will eventually catch up with himself, when all the hormones even out. He will be fine.” Owen clasped his hands together. I could feel him hinting at the end of the evening. Eli noticed it, too.

  “All right.” Eli moved away from his chair. “Think the party is over.” He leaned into my ear, tension from the earlier scene taut in his vocals. “Except ours. Time to pay in full, Brycin.”

  Sleep was impossible as my brain ran through each scenario and everything that could go wrong in battle. I rolled over for the tenth time in fifteen minutes and punched my pillow before flopping my head back down. Eli’s impending death ate at me. The thought of never waking up next to him or hearing his voice again made vomit burn my throat. To never feel the warmth of his body pressing against mine, how he slept with one hand always on me. A spasm clenched my lungs. The thought of being without him was too much, and every minute brought me closer to the moment I would have to act it out.

  “Will you settle, woman?” His hand pressed on my leg, pushing me into the bed. I peered over my shoulder. Eli lay on his back next to me, staring at the ceiling.

  “Sorry, am I keeping you up?”

  “Not really.” He shifted his head to look at me. “But you’re driving me crazy with the tossing and turning.”

  I rolled over to watch him. “Sorry.” My hand reached up to trace the scar that cut from his chin to his hairline, his scruff tickling my fingers. He closed his eyes, letting me touch the contours of his face. Tears blinded me as my fingers and eyes outlined every nuance of his features. My heart ached with my feelings for him. We had come so far, been through so much, and I could lose him in the next twenty-four hours. I choked back the wail wanting to surface.

  “I love you.” I was trying so hard not to cry I could barely get the words out.

  His eyes opened—bright green lights in the dark room. His hand brushed back the loose strands of hair falling around my face, curving around my jaw. He pulled me to him, his lips finding mine.

  “Ditto, Brycin,” he muttered between kisses. He curved his arm around me, pulling my body to his. His arms felt so warm and protective. It made me both dizzy and sick to realize they would not be holding me after tomorrow. His lips moved lightly kissing my forehead.

  “Whatever materializes tomorrow, you know I will always follow you, woman, wherever you go. Even in death.”

  My head jerked up looking at him. My throat felt clogged. Eli was not one for sentiment. He did not understand how ominous those words were. My lids blinked rapidly trying to keep the water works back. It didn’t work.

  “Nothing is going to happen to you.” I felt the need to say the lie aloud, as though it might be possible. I had to believe, or I wouldn’t get up in the morning and go into battle.

  “You are strong and will turn out to be a great Queen.”

  “Why does everyone keep saying that? I don’t want to be one.” I shook my head.

  “Hey.” He grabbed my chin. “Sometimes we choose destiny and sometimes destiny chooses us. The day you came strolling into my life at the police station it picked me.” A mischievous grin curled the side of his lip. “And I am glad since I was far too stubborn and stupid to see what was in front of me.”

  My feelings pushed me forward, my mouth finding his. I was out of words. He told me once the only way he wanted to die was to go out screwing me. For the rest of the night I made sure his wish was satisfied in every possible way. We took our time and rediscovered each other’s body and worshiped it.

  As though it were the last night of our lives.

  TWENTY-SIX

  Past midnight, Samhain

  The night sky glowed with blues, yellows, purples, and reds. Magic’s tango spun and swirled in the atmosphere, igniting sparks as our worlds collided. Thanks to me and Asim,
the Queen’s “extra” power was breaking down the lines further. Even humans would notice the changes. It looked like the northern lights had waltzed across our skies using Earth as their dance floor. Lightning cracked and ripped around the heavens in enraged bolts of energy and light.

  The magic ebbed higher and larger, sizzling at my skin. The field of Dark Fae stood motionless, weapons in hand, waiting. Lars made sure we were in the right spot so the castle would not be far from us when the wall went down.

  The day was tense and filled with restless energy. Waiting. Every minute was agony. I struggled between trying to enjoy the last minutes I had with loved ones to actually wanting the damn thing to start. Anything had to be better than waiting. With time differences across the world, the layer between the worlds began to come together early in the day. To humans it probably looked like dense humidity rippling the air, but I could feel the enchantment swelling in the atmosphere, pushing and wrinkling as it collided with the Earth. As the day went on, the more the sensation heightened. Midnight was when the barrier would reach its weakest point. Magic pumped heavily through the air right before. At twelve, the sky exploded into an art show of lightning and colors.

  I stood now in the cool darkness looking above my head as the Earth lit up as if fireworks were being tossed into the air. Deep in my soul an ache rolled around the vacancy where the core of my power had been. Fire. Earth.

  Cal stood on my shoulder, tugging at the small bag attached to his belt. “You sure I can’t have one lick of juniper juice powder? I think it might calm my nerves. I mean it might be my last one, ever. Do you want to deny me of what could be my final bit of happiness?”

  “Cal, you cannot drink during battle.” Simmons was perched on my other shoulder. His foot stomped onto my collar bone.

  “Who says?” Cal snapped back. “Anyway, it’s not technically drinking.” His fingers poked at the contents inside the pouch.

  “Because we are soldiers. We must have our full wits about us.”