The Dark

by Cheyenne McCray

  Just being without her magic for that brief time when she went through her transition with Jake had been beyond frightening.

  “What the hell?” Jake was saying, his face flushed dark. Cassia could barely keep up with his words the way her mind was whirling, and from the heat expanding through her. “You can’t do that to her.”

  The Guardian gave a dry laugh. “Not only can I do so, I do not have a choice should I want it.”

  Jake’s face was still flushed with anger. “What do you mean?”

  Her mother looked as if she was only indulging his questions because she was in the mood. Maybe in the mood to torture them both.

  “Once again we’re talking about the balance in Otherworlds,” the Guardian said with an expression Cassia couldn’t identify. “Her powers are becoming, and will be, so magnificent that they must be bestowed upon a replacement.”

  The weight of possibly losing her powers was so great, and her responsibility to her mother was strong, too.

  “If I choose Jake”—Cassia could barely speak, but forced out the words—“what does this mean to you? I—I don’t want you to suffer because of my decision.”

  “Another millennium to train my replacement is but a brief flash of time.” The Guardian’s expression was the equivalent of a shrug. “I will bear another female child immediately who will go through the same rigors of training that you have.” The Guardian’s gaze hardened as she fixed it on Jake. “Only I will ensure her training is not compromised.”

  “What a bunch of bull.” Jake took a step forward, releasing Cassia’s hand and clenching both fists. “You don’t have to take away her magic.”

  “I accept the third option.” Cassia let her voice cut across Jake’s even as her head spun and her heart ached over the knowledge she would lose her magic.

  “I will give up my powers to live on the Earth Otherworld,” she continued, “to spend my life as a mortal and live the rest of my years with Jake. My love is too great for him to choose otherwise. I will not take from him his human life and make him subject to the prejudices of the Light Elves. Never.”

  His jaw dropped and he snapped his gaze to hers. “Cassia—”

  “Jake.” Cassia hardened her tone as she cut in. “This is my decision. I believe my mother truly has no choice but to give my powers to a replacement.” When he tried to interrupt again, she put her fingers over his lips and said softly, “The fact that I’ve been given choices at all is a gift.”

  His throat worked and he looked as if so much emotion was welling up within him that he was having a hard time speaking. “I can’t ask you to do this.”

  “You’re right.” Cassia smiled. “You can’t. It’s my decision.”

  “I love you so much.” Jake grabbed her in a hold so tight he knocked the breath from her. “I don’t know what the hell to say.”

  Cassia gave him an impish grin. “Just say the hell you’ll marry me.”

  Jake grinned back. “Are you proposing?”

  “Absolutely,” she said, and Jake brought his mouth to hers, hard and urgent.

  His kiss held the depth of his love for her. She gave everything of herself into their kiss in return.

  “Cassia Macgregor.” She drew away and couldn’t help her smile. “I’ve never had a last name. It sounds great.”

  Jake brushed his thumb across her cheek as he looked down at her. “Yeah. It does. Really great.”

  “Now that you have made your decision,” came the Guardian’s dry voice, “I will return you to Otherworld.”

  Cassia felt too giddy with love for Jake to think of anything else, and she’d all but forgotten the Great Guardian. She pulled away from Jake and stared at her mother, who had always been an untouchable being. A being who had borne Cassia, then stayed at a distance as she grew up.

  Cassia walked away from Jake to stand inches from her mother.

  “What the heck,” she said before she took one more step, wrapped her arms around her mother’s waist, and embraced her. “I love you, Mother.”

  It was like hugging sunlight, warm and bright, only something substantial enough to hold onto.

  At first her mother seemed shocked into immobility, but then her mother embraced her in return and whispered, “I do love you, Cassiandra.”

  “I know.” Tears formed at the corners of Cassia’s eyes, one tear rolling down her cheek as she drew away and met her mother’s gaze. Cassia didn’t let her mother go. “You’ve only done what you’ve thought is right.”

  Her mother’s expression turned softer than it had been in the time since Jake and Cassia had challenged her on Cassia’s destiny.

  “I truly am sorry I cannot leave your magic intact.” Her mother cupped her cheek and warmth radiated from her mother’s palm. “But you understand.”

  Cassia nodded as a tear rolled down her cheek. They completely parted and Cassia managed a smile. “Thank you for what you have been able to give me.”

  The Guardian gave a low nod.

  “I have just one question,” Cassia said, wondering what her mother’s response would be. “What is your true name?”

  Her mother gave one of her mysterious smiles. “Eternity.” She paused and added, “And you, my daughter, your true name is Destiny.” Then the Guardian vanished like a bright light blinking out.

  “Maybe I do believe in destiny after all,” Jake murmured.

  But as her mother disappeared, Cassia didn’t have time to explore her emotions.

  A force tugged her magic, jerking her forward a step.

  Harsh, hot tears flooded Cassia’s cheeks as her magic drained from her.

  It was slow, painful, agonizing. Almost as bad as her ascension ceremony.

  Like her very breath, her heart, her soul were all torn from her.

  She wasn’t sure it was the pain of loss, or the pain of her magic being taken. Maybe both.

  Her powers slipped completely away, the sparkles and warmth at her core were gone. A vessel that had been full and rising for centuries now depleted. Empty.

  More and more hot tears burned her eyes as she shut them tight and sobbed in harsh jerks.

  Her star birthmark—somehow she knew it was gone, too, as well as her pointed ears.

  With never-ending tears, she pulled her T-shirt out of her jeans just to see her belly button—

  Yes. No birthmark.

  Another blow. Almost every part of what had been her had been stripped from her.

  At least she had her memories.

  She prayed her mother wouldn’t take those, too.

  Jake wrapped her in his large embrace, against the solid, comforting warmth of his chest.

  “It hurts so badly.” Cassia’s body shook as she cried and slipped her arms around his waist. “I didn’t know it would be so painful.”

  “You can change your mind,” Jake said, and it sounded like the words brought him close to tears, too. “I never wanted this for you.”

  “No.” Cassia struggled to get herself under control. “I choose you.” She tilted her head back to look at him. “I have no regrets. None.”

  She buried her face against his chest again. “This pain will lessen with time. Losing you—that’s something I could never get over.”

  Jake rocked her as he held her, and she thought she felt a hot tear land on her head.

  Her body weakened and grew heavier as the last of her magic vanished.

  Then everything went dark and the Guardian sent them through the veil.

  51

  The moment their feet touched something solid, Cassia thought she was going to vomit. Her stomach clenched as nausea rolled through her.

  Cassia gave a combination laugh and sob as she stepped back, but gripped Jake’s biceps.

  “I see what you mean.” She sniffled and smiled as they looked at each other. “Going through the veil without my Guardian powers is a ‘real bitch.’”

  Jake answered her smile with one of his own, but it looked strained. “Are you sure about all o
f this?”

  She smacked him on the arm. “If you ask me that one more time, I’m going to—to tackle you.”

  At that he laughed. “I’m ready when you are.”

  Cassia looked away from Jake to see that they were standing in a foyer in a house she didn’t recognize. It was narrow.

  On the left, wooden slatted steps ran from the foyer onto a landing above. To the right, a couple of steps went down that would take them into a living room. A hallway disappeared behind the stairs, probably to a bedroom.

  The house was older, but well kept. Taupe carpeting covered the floor, and the walls were a lighter taupe that went well with the flooring. The trim was all off-white, including the crown moldings on the ceiling.

  Jake’s place. It must be.

  The house looked like an average-sized San Francisco home that had been modernized inside. She had no idea what the outside looked like. Yet.

  Comfortable-looking leather couches filled the living room, and beyond that she could see a kitchen through a doorway.

  A huge wall unit held a large-screened TV, stereo, and other electronic devices. There weren’t decorations, knickknacks on anything else of the surfaces, or pictures on the walls.

  It looked like a bachelor pad, with magazines and newspapers scattered on a coffee table, jogging shoes kicked off in a corner, and a pair of white socks next to them.

  A Styrofoam cup sat on one end table with an energy bar wrapper next to it. Both sat beside a remote control that probably went with all the high-tech equipment in that wall unit.

  In one corner sat a pile of rappelling equipment, including nylon cord and harnesses, along with boots. A large framed backpack was braced against the wall next to the equipment, with a sleeping bag bound tight beneath it. Jake no doubt used all of that for his rock-climbing and hiking hobbies.

  A medium-sized, yellow, well-used kayak was propped against another wall and Cassia imagined herself going down the rapids with Jake.

  She couldn’t wait until he took her with him. Everywhere.

  The place had a familiar scent, but also that certain smell homes got when no one had lived there for a while. Dust on the coffee table and other surfaces confirmed it.

  “Your place?” she asked as she moved her gaze from the room to him.

  He shrugged. “First time I’ve been here since we moved headquarters into that warehouse.”

  Cassia gave him a sly grin. “Why don’t you show me what your bedroom looks like—so I can tackle you?”

  Even drained of her powers, Cassia felt an empowerment of a different kind. A woman filled with love for her man.

  Jake held her hand, leading her upstairs, and sparkles tingled in her belly as if she still had magic. But she knew it was the magic of the moment, which somehow made it even more special.

  At the top of the landing, Jake drew her into a large bedroom on the right. She smiled at the sight of rumpled white bed sheets and a denim-colored comforter tossed to the foot of the bed. Scattered by an oak bureau were a couple of pairs of jeans and T-shirts, along with more balled-up socks.

  Through the closet door she spotted shelves with extra cop things, including another Kevlar vest and what Jake had called a “duty belt.” A jacket with police on the back of it hung next to a few shirts, a karate tunic and pants, and his police officer’s dress uniform.

  Honey-colored oak blinds were open, showing a drizzly San Francisco day. The good kind of drizzle—familiar and real, not magical and terrible like Darkwolf’s.

  No more demons. No more dark god and goddess. No more warlock.

  It all had a dreamlike quality to it. Well nightmare, really. Months after the Fomorii had first been called to this city, starting it all, it was finally over.

  Cassia didn’t have time to take in anymore of Jake’s room or for thoughts of any kind, because he brought her around to face him and brought his mouth close to hers.

  “I can’t believe you did this for me,” he murmured as he kissed the side of her mouth.

  “You’re awfully cocky.” She smiled as he looked at her with raised eyebrows. “I did it for more selfish reasons. I did it for me.” She placed her palms on his chest and gripped his soft blue T-shirt in her hands. “Because I can’t imagine being without you.”

  “Princess, I intend to indulge your every whim.” Jake moved his lips over hers, and she moaned with every soft brush. “So you just go on being as selfish as you want.”

  “I guess I’m not a Princess anymore,” she said as he trailed his lips to her ear.

  “You’re still your mother’s daughter.” He nipped her earlobe. “And no matter what, you’ll always be my Princess.”

  Cassia moved her lips to find his. The feelings bound so tightly within her for him started to unravel and flow from her body to his, so that she felt as if they were one.

  There were no words in all the Otherworlds that could describe his taste. Warmth and male. And Jake’s scent—there was nothing like it.

  His firm lips moved across hers and he dipped his tongue into her mouth, gently exploring her as she explored him. She understood the expression “never able to get enough.” She felt that way with Jake. Like she could kiss him forever and ever.

  As his hands caressed her, she made little cries into his mouth and he gave a soft laugh that tickled her lips.

  “I like the way you sound,” he said in between kisses. “Innocent and passionate.”

  “One can sound innocent?” Cassia asked as he tugged her shirt out of her jeans.

  “You do.” He skimmed his fingers up her rib cage to rest his hands beneath her breasts. She laced her fingers together behind his neck and tipped her head back as she let out another low moan. “And I really love the way you don’t wear anything beneath your clothing.”

  “All the better to seduce you with,” she said as she looked into his eyes.

  “Princess, all you have to do is be in the same room with me and I want you.”

  “That’s a sentiment I can definitely echo.” She raised her arms to help him draw her T-shirt up and over her head.

  Cassia had never felt anything more exquisite than his every touch. Without her magic, she was experiencing it in an entirely different way.

  She fell into the sensations of Jake taking his time. After she jerked his T-shirt out of the way, she slipped her fingers in between his jeans and his taut abs.

  The way Cassia wrapped her fingers around his length sent searing desire through Jake. His breath stuck in his chest and he was unable to move, despite the fact that he wanted to sink to his knees. He let out a low groan.

  He captured her mouth again and moved his hips so that he slid back and forth in her grasp. When she withdrew her hand he almost groaned again, but she brought her fingers to the button of his jeans and he was more than glad when it came apart easily.

  After she drew his zipper down, she hooked her fingers in the sides of his jeans and briefs and pushed them over his ass. She tugged his jeans a little farther. “Shoes. Off.”

  “Yes, your majesty,” he said with a grin as he kicked them off.

  Cassia playfully slapped his arm. “We’ve got to work on something with you.”

  “What’s that?” he said, feeling out of breath as she knelt in front of him.

  She snapped the edge of his briefs. “You need to get used to going without these things.”

  “Your wish is my command.” His teasing response turned into a hiss of pleasure as she wrapped her fingers around him and slid her mouth over the head. “Oh, fuck.”

  He’d never felt anything so good. Never.

  The little moans she made brought him closer to climax.

  He felt every sound vibrate throughout his body. “Cassia!” He clenched his hands tighter in her hair. His orgasm rocketed through him like dynamite.

  He could barely breathe as his body stayed heated with sensation from his orgasm. When Cassia rose and pushed his T-shirt up and over his chest, he managed to help her tug it over
his head and he flung it onto one of the nightstands.

  A crash reminded him briefly of how she’d destroyed furnishings with her magic and he smiled.

  She pointed to his socks. “Off.”

  “Damn, Cassia.” He braced one hand on a bedpost as he removed his socks. His jeans went next. “After that, I barely have enough strength to move.”

  She kicked off her own shoes and shimmied out of her jeans. Dear God, she was beautiful. “It’ll make it easier to tackle you,” she said just before she placed her hands on his chest and shoved him away from her. She caught him off balance and his legs hit the bed.

  She brought him down so that he was on the bed, flat on his back, the springs squeaking from how hard he’d dropped.

  He laughed as she climbed onto him so that she was straddling him.

  “Told you I’d take you down.” She leaned down and kissed him. “Don’t mess with this former Princess.”

  He caught her lower lip in his teeth before releasing it and held her head in his palms. “I told you that you’ll always be Princess to me.”

  “If you insist.” She nipped his lower lip in return. “Of course, that means I’ll expect ceremonies and a handmaiden.”

  His heart thumped as he moved his hands from her face, skimming her arms and waist until his palms reached her buttocks. “I’ll have to ask for a raise. I don’t think a handmaiden is in the budget.”

  Cassia scooted down until she was pressed against him. “All this great sex would make it hard to find time for ceremonies, anyway. And if I’m not wearing clothes most of the time, there’s no need for a handmaiden.”

  Talk about a perfect woman. Jake groaned as she shifted and he slid inside her.

  With a gasp, Cassia lowered herself so that he was fully inside her. Everything fled her mind. She had a hard time even focusing, much less thinking.

  She rose up and down in slow strokes, wanting to enjoy the experience for all she could. She tilted her head back in sheer ecstasy at the combined sensations of his touch and him so deep inside of her.

  Her climax was building, growing. She needed more of him, now.