Inevitable Darkness

by Cassandra Lawson

  “Because she told you?” Abram asked, the doubt evident in his voice.

  “Yeah,” Jase replied. “We’ve talked, and I have a better idea of what’s going on now.”

  “Wow!” Abram said with a shake of his head. “You certainly are turning into an enlightened little kitty.”

  “Asshole,” Jase shot back. “You should be thanking me for the distraction.”

  “You’re right,” Abram agreed. “I much prefer talking about how fucked-up you are instead of thinking about how fucked-up I am.”

  “Mitchell’s heading this way now with Lucida,” Jase told him, gesturing with his chin to a spot behind Abram.

  Abram turned to see Mitchell and Lucida approaching. Mitchell looked much better than when they’d arrived, so he supposed he should be thankful to the witch for feeding him.

  “Hey!” Mitchell greeted him with a raised hand and a smile. “Lucida’s going to find a witch to feed you.”

  Abram nodded. “I appreciate that,” he told her.

  Lucida regarded him with a slight smile. “Thank you for letting me borrow Mitchell. He was amazing.”

  Mitchell’s eyes narrowed and landed on the witch who seemed determined to start shit with Abram for some reason. “I appreciate the blood.”

  “And I appreciate the orgasm,” Lucida replied as she placed a hand on Mitchell’s arm.

  She watched Abram as if expecting her proximity to Mitchell to piss him off. It didn’t. “Yeah, that little orgasm trick makes it much easier to convince people to donate blood on a more personal level,” Abram said with a grin.

  Mitchell moved away from Lucida before speaking again. “Abram needs blood soon. This form of the Moon virus requires us to feed on a set schedule, or we’ll become undead.”

  “I can go a little longer because I’ve been taking advantage of the shifter blood more than Mitchell has,” Abram assured her.

  “But if Mitchell thinks you need to feed now, we’ll get you taken care of right away,” Lucida assured him. “Do you have any preferences? You’re a nice-looking vampire, so I’m sure I can find both men and women willing to take care of all your needs.”

  Mitchell frowned as the witch confirmed Abram’s suspicions that she was playing a childish game with them both.

  Abram gave a bored shrug. “It doesn’t make any difference to me who you get to offer blood. I’ll be grateful to that witch, male or female.”

  “How grateful?” Lucida asked. “I want to make sure they don’t offer with certain expectations you might not be willing to meet.”

  “My gratitude is all I’m offering,” Abram told her.

  “I’m going to find Vexx,” Jase announced before walking off.

  Lucida’s gaze remained on Jase. “He’s far too uptight for my niece. There is no way he was ever meant to be her mate.”

  “Sometimes, opposites attract,” Mitchell remarked.

  Lucida turned, first looking at Abram and then at Mitchell. “Were you thinking of your situation?”

  “No,” Mitchell replied. “Though, I suppose it applies to us to some extent.”

  “I’m evil, he’s good,” Abram added, grinning when Mitchell glared at him. “Kidding. I know you hate it when I say you’re too good for me.”

  Lucida studied them before nodding. “I’ll find someone who won’t upset Mitchell.”

  Somehow, Abram doubted she’d put that much effort into it, but all he said was, “Thanks. I appreciate you letting us stay here for a day or two.”

  Lucida said nothing, just nodded and walked away.

  After she left, Mitchell turned to Abram. “I can’t decide if I like her or think she’s a manipulative bitch.”

  Abram shrugged. “Why can’t it be both? She was trying to manipulate the situation. I get the impression she wanted to stir up trouble between us.”

  Mitchell shook his head. “She had enough information to start trouble, but she kept it to herself, so I don’t think that’s it—not all of it, at least. I need to tell you something, especially since I mentioned it to Lucida.”

  “What’s that?” Abram asked. “Something tells me I’m not going to like this.”

  “I plan to go after my father,” he stated.

  Chapter 53

  Abram blinked twice.

  Mitchell had expected his announcement to surprise Abram but hadn’t expected it to stun him into silence.

  “Are you going to say something?” Mitchell asked.

  Abram shook his head as if to clear it. “I’m not sure what to say. You’re not kidding, right?”

  “I’m not kidding,” Mitchell assured him.

  “When did you decide on this?” Abram asked.

  “I’ve been considering it since we found out my father was planning to go after Kish,” he replied. “We all know that we can’t hide Kish here forever, and I don’t know how long he’s going to continue looking for her. If he’s looking, there might be others. It’s also possible he’ll find out about me. I’m not about to hide for the rest of my life.”

  Abram blew out a frustrated breath and nodded. He didn’t look happy, but he seemed to support Mitchell’s decision. “What’s your plan?”

  “I hadn’t gotten that far yet,” he admitted. “I know I need a plan to deal with my father, but I’m honestly not sure how to go about tracking him down or how to win in a fight with him.”

  “Something tells me you wouldn’t need to put too much effort into finding him,” Abram replied. “If Kish attracted his attention with her power surges, all you need to do is let yours get out of control, and you’ll be another beacon for them to follow.”

  “You’re probably right,” Mitchell agreed. “Of course, I’m still not sure what causes my power to flare like that, other than letting my temper get out of control.”

  “Then it should be easy since I have such a talent for pissing people off,” Abram teased.

  Mitchell laughed. “Yeah, I’m sure you can make my emotions run high with more than anger.”

  There was a beat of silence before Abram spoke again. “I think I’m falling in love with you.”

  “You think you are or you know you are?” Mitchell asked.

  Abram shrugged. “While I want to say I know I am, I’m afraid to say that when I’m such a mess. I don’t care about a lot of people, but I care about you more than anyone I know. I love seeing you smile, and I didn’t even have to think about whether I want to fight by your side.”

  Mitchell reached out and brushed Abram’s cheek with his fingertips. “I’d fight on your side any day of the week.”

  “You shouldn’t make a promise like that,” Abram told him in a rough voice. “I’m not always fighting on the right side.”

  “I wish you could see what I see,” he told Abram in a soft voice. “You’re incredible.”

  Abram snorted.

  “Don’t do that,” Mitchell warned.

  “At least, not until you need to get angry enough to attract a little demon attention,” Abram replied with a grin.

  “Yeah,” Mitchell agreed. “Not until then.” Leaning in, he brushed his lips against Abram’s.

  “Excuse me,” a witch said from their side.

  Mitchell’s hand fell to his side as he took a step back. Abram looked as disappointed as he felt.

  “I’m here to feed one of you,” the witch explained when both Abram and Mitchell turned toward her.

  “That would be me,” Abram replied.

  She flashed him a shy smile. “Can you make me orgasm like the other vampire did for Lucida?”

  “Don’t worry,” Abram assured her. “I’ll show you my appreciation for your offer of blood.” As if realizing how that sounded, he looked to Mitchell with wide eyes before returning his attention to the witch. “I mean that I’ll use the vampire mind trick to make it good for you, not that I’ll make it good for you in other ways.”

  The witch giggled. “I can already see your interests lie elsewhere. Lucida also told me you weren’t off
ering sex. So, where would you like to do this? I’d prefer somewhere more comfortable.”

  “Show me where you want to go,” Abram told her.

  “I’m going to check on Kish,” Mitchell stated. “I’ll talk to you after you’ve fed.”

  Abram nodded before following the witch toward a row of cabins.

  Mitchell sighed. His friends and family might call him crazy, but he was already in love with Abram.

  Chapter 54

  Orelani reclined in her tub, listening to the sounds of the waves lapping against the shores just outside of her small cabin. She always went to the cabin when she needed solitude. Her need for time alone had grown stronger since she’d taken the throne. It was funny how, even as a powerful ruler, she still felt like a prisoner in her own life.

  Over the last few weeks, she’d felt the tug of the spell she’d cast more than two decades ago several times. The spell was a blessing and a curse, one she deserved for her moment of weakness. She sensed when her son was in danger and when he came into new power.

  The day he’d opened his first portal, she’d felt a swell of pride. He was using a gift he’d inherited from her. The spell she and Mirinova had cast on Mitchell at his birth helped mask his power from the world. Few could detect his Fae magic unless they were looking for it.

  His demon magic was another matter—one she’d hoped he would never need to deal with.

  Mirinova burst into the room, guards shouting from behind her. They’d been told to allow no one to interrupt her and didn’t realize that her sister was an exception. Orelani had always envied her sister. As the second born, Mirinova was the warrior while Orelani was the queen.

  “Leave us,” Orelani called out to her guards.

  “Those idiots told me I couldn’t come in here,” Mirinova said with a snort. “Can you believe that?”

  “They’re overzealous,” Orelani replied. “What’s going on?”

  “One of our demon spies just reported back to me,” Mirinova began in an urgent tone. “There are rumblings regarding Mitchell.”

  Orelani quickly stood and donned her robe. “They know who he is?”

  “They know of his existence, but it doesn’t sound like they know he’s your son,” Mirinova replied.

  Knowing Terigin’s ruthlessness and thirst for power, Orelani had spies in his ranks. Recruiting those spies had been easy. Few demons felt much loyalty toward those they served. Fear generally motivated them to behave as faithful servants. Had Orelani needed spies to report to them about all of Terigin’s actions, she’d have been hard-pressed to find any willing to take the risk. Instead, she’d merely asked them to notify Mirinova if Terigin learned of any unknown offspring.

  Her affair with Terigin had been an impulsive mistake, one she regretted. It left her only child stranded in a dangerous world with few protections. The one protection Mitchell had was his anonymity. Terigin didn’t know he’d gotten her pregnant.

  “Have you seen him recently?” she asked Mirinova.

  Mirinova hesitated. Orelani hadn’t so much as uttered Mitchell’s name in more than a decade. Her sister checked up on him every year, but she didn’t brief Orelani on those visits. Orelani only knew what the spell she’d cast on her son told her. She knew when he unlocked new facets of his Fae power, and the spell would alert her if he came face to face with Terigin. Other than that, she had very few details regarding the life of her child. Her sister’s hesitation worried her.

  “Tell me what’s going on, Mirinova,” she pleaded.

  Her sister’s face softened. “He’s had a rough life, but he’s strong, and people are drawn to him. Mitchell is definitely your son.”

  “What does he look like?” she asked.

  “His father,” Mirinova replied.

  “Are his adoptive parents still with him?” Orelani asked. Humans were fragile creatures with short lifespans.

  Mirinova shook her head. “He has a new family.”

  “He can’t be old enough to have children of his own,” Orelani remarked with a scrunched brow.

  “It’s been twenty-six years,” Mirinova reminded her.

  “I suppose it has,” Orelani replied with a sigh. “If Terigin goes after him, I’m going with you to protect Mitchell.”

  Orelani could already hear her mother’s voice in the back of her mind. Queens don’t go into battle. A queen stays in the Fae realm.

  Mirinova simply smiled and nodded. “Then we’d better do some training, sister. You’ve gotten soft and weak since you took the throne.”

  Orelani laughed at her sister’s taunt. “Soft and weak? I can still knock your best soldier on his ass.”

  “Let’s see if you can knock me on my ass before I agree that you’re not weak,” Mirinova replied.

  Chapter 55

  No matter where she went, Kish always felt like an outsider. That shouldn’t come as any surprise considering she’d been an outsider even among her clan. Only her sister had ever wanted her around. She refused to let others know that she felt slighted or abandoned. Allowing anyone to see how she felt gave them a weapon to use against her. Kish wouldn’t give anyone that power in her life.

  While Mitchell went off to feed and Vexx talked to her family, Kish slipped away. The leader of the coven hadn’t said she could stay yet, so she decided to rest in case they needed to leave soon. Kish saw no reason why the coven would want to help them. Even if it weren’t for her dark magic, demons were hunting Kish. If Kish wasn’t mistaken, they were only there because the leader wanted Mitchell. Once she realized he wasn’t interested, she’d order them off the coven land.

  “Why are you sitting alone?”

  Kish had hoped the male would pass by without any interaction. It was what she was used to. People didn’t often stop to talk to her, especially when she gave off the leave me alone vibe. No one else had passed by her spot behind the cabins, just the male standing before her. She didn’t look up, so all she saw were his bare feet and calves.

  “Is there something wrong with sitting alone?” she asked.

  The male took a seat beside her before responding. “There’s nothing inherently wrong with sitting alone, but you seem lonely. There are plenty of people around. Your friends who arrived with you aren’t far from here.”

  Kish looked over at the man by her side, shocked by his appearance. He was beautiful—not handsome but beautiful. Dressed in only a pair of shorts, she didn’t have to imagine much. He had a lean, muscular build of a powerful shifter and very little body hair. His skin was sun-kissed but still lighter than hers. He had black hair and the deepest blue eyes she’d ever seen. His clean-shaven face was like finely sculpted art with full lips and high cheekbones.

  Realizing she was staring at the man for far too long, she shook her head and asked, “Are you a witch?” When she’d arrived, only females had greeted them, but she assumed there were males somewhere.

  “No,” he replied with a smile. “I’m a psychic human. Most witches are female, so the coven often brings in males from other species to help out.”

  “So, you’re used for breeding,” she remarked. “Kind of like a stud on a ranch.”

  “Not necessarily for breeding. Men offer other services,” he replied.

  “Like sex,” she suggested.

  “That’s why I was originally offered a place here,” he agreed. “I have other responsibilities now.”

  Since he didn’t elaborate, Kish decided to focus on the thing that she was most curious about. “I never would have guessed you’re human. You don’t smell human.”

  “I’m not exactly human anymore,” he explained. “In exchange for helping the witches, I was given an extended lifespan. They do that with anyone, male or female, who offers a service to the coven.”

  “I can see why males would agree to help with breeding in exchange for a longer lifespan. Humans don’t live very long.”

  “No, they don’t,” he agreed.

  “So, your mate used magic to allow you to live
longer,” Kish deduced. “How does that work now that you’re no longer fathering children? Has your mate also decided to stop breeding?” She paused as a thought occurred. “Did something happen to her?”

  He shook his head and grinned. “Mate? Witches don’t generally pick a mate. It happens on rare occasions, but not often. Only the coven leader is required to select a mate. I’ve never had a mate, and I only agreed to join the coven if I didn’t have to father children.”

  “You don’t want children?” she asked, wondering why she was suddenly being so intrusive.

  “That’s a subject for when we know each other better,” he replied with a sad smile.

  “What makes you think we’ll get to know each other better?” Kish asked.

  “You’re curious about me, so I’m sure we’ll get to know each other better,” he replied with a shrug.

  “Do you regret your decision to stay with the coven?” Kish asked. “You traded your freedom. Don’t you ever feel used?”

  “No,” he replied. “I don’t regret it, and I’ve never felt used—not in a bad way, anyway. Had I not made this deal, I’d be nothing but dust by now. I’ve lived much longer than I expected. You are lonely, aren’t you?”

  “Why are we back to that?” Kish asked.

  “Because I’m an empath, and your pain calls out to me,” he explained simply. “It’s how I found you.”

  She expected to feel the urge to lash out at him, but she didn’t for some unknown reason. Instead, she wanted to lean into him and seek comfort. She didn’t, but the temptation was strong.

  “I’m alone,” she stated. “That doesn’t make me lonely.”

  “Do you miss your clan?” he asked. “I heard that you’re part jaguar shapeshifter.”

  She shook her head. “Not even a little. I only miss my sister. It’s funny that I miss her so much when we haven’t spent much time together.”

  Kish had no clue why she was sharing so much with a stranger. Something about his presence soothed her and made her feel safe. He was able to slip past the barriers she had put up.