Dark Solace

by Tara Fox Hall

  “I’m not playing fair, I’m playing to win,” Danial said, rolling me onto my back beneath him. “I’m not going to lose you again.”

  Instead of my expected arousal, an odd uneasiness filled me, snapping me completely awake. “Danial—”

  Danial entered me again, and began to move. “You belong here with me.”

  “Wait—”

  Danial pushed me to the mattress, his sudden weight cutting off my words. His cool lips kissed my neck, then there was needle sharp pain. I let out a screech, pushing back against him.

  Danial bit down harder, thrusting faster.

  “Stop, or you’ll kill me,” I pleaded raggedly. “What will you win then?”

  Danial froze, and then slowly moved off me, distancing himself. I brought my knees into my arms and sat with my head down, huddled, my hand over the throbbing fresh bite on my neck.

  “I just miss you,” Danial said sadly, after some moments had passed. “I miss waking up with you, and hearing you singing as you work, and the way you’d always leave your hairbrush in the shower. I’m surrounded by people practically at all times and still the silence of your absence permeates everything around me, leaving the stillness of despair and loneliness to fill my empty spirit.”

  “That sounds like poetry,” I said, reaching out and clasping his hand.

  “It’s not,” Danial replied despondently. “It’s just how I feel.”

  “I’m not doing this to make you suffer. I’ll come see you as much as before, just like before.” I managed a smile. “Now I can teleport again, that’ll mean a lot less wasted time driving.”

  “You would not have left, if not for Theo,” Danial said bitterly. “Every time you have broken with me, he was the cause.”

  “Danial, stop,” I said firmly. “We’re going to have many years together. We’re Oathed, remember? Your talk of winning is ridiculous, because you’ve already won.”

  “You’re right,” Danial said, sighing. “I’m just jealous.”

  “Don’t be,” I said, pulling him close for a hug. “I can’t sleep with you every night, or maybe see you every day. But I’ll come to you when I can, and I’ll think of you every night before I sleep, Danial.”

  “I love you,” Danial said tenderly. “I could say it to you forever, and it would not be enough, to tell you what you mean to me, Sar.” He drew back from me. “I have loved other women over the years. But I’ve never loved one so deeply as I love you.”

  “I know it,” I said, touching his cheek. “It’s the same way I feel for you, Danial. The same way I love you. Please, don’t think you’ve lost me, because you haven’t. You never could.”

  Danial didn’t reply, he just held me in his arms tightly.

  * * * *

  Theo was waiting for me when I returned around midnight. Surprisingly, he didn’t say anything judgmental.

  “I’m glad you got your power back. Devon’s already asleep in his bed. I’ll be waiting for you in our bed after you shower.”

  That was pointed. Still, I was grateful he wasn’t upset. “I’m sorry if I worried you.”

  “It’s okay,” Theo said. “You should probably go, sweetheart. It’s already late.”

  Though the shower felt wonderful, the sensation of water on my skin delicious, more present was Danial all those miles away, and it was all I could do not to go back to him. Worried, I hurried and finished up, then climbed into bed with wet hair.

  Theo turned to me. “Sar, if you need Danial again like today, go to him. I know what it’s doing to you to be apart from him. It’s okay with me. Just come back to me afterwards.”

  “Okay,” I said hollowly, trying hard not to think of Danial, the desire to go back to him stronger than ever despite Theo in my arms.

  “I love you,” Theo said, holding me close. “Now that the virus is ebbing, hopefully Devlin and Danial can both give you blood again. I worried about you being in thrall to Dev. But now I’m just as worried about you being in thrall to Danial. I see it in your eyes, a feverishness that didn’t use to be there—”

  Scared, I clung to him. “I know. I feel it too.”

  He stroked my back. “Shh. Danial would never hurt you. But it’s better this way.”

  Better for who? I wondered.

  * * * *

  The next day went by in a blur of preparation, as Theo helped Danial prepare for the meeting with the other Rulers in Canada. As much as I was nervous about it, my day was full with last minute fall chores. The highs were in the fifties now, the trees turning early this year. Soon we would need to start burning wood again and shoveling snow. I wasn’t looking forward to that, but I knew better than to let winter catch me unawares.

  Ghost and Darkness clustered around me, panting after their long walk with Theo. I gave them each a Cheweez, which they took politely, settling down happily to munching.

  “Now you be good for Warren,” I said to them. “He’s going to watch you tonight. I want you to be good for him, understand?”

  Both dogs wagged their tails, but their focus was all on the treat they were eating.

  “I got the mail,” Theo said, shutting the door behind him. “That air’s cold out there.”

  “Any good mail?” I said, unwrapping the plate of cookies I had baked for Warren. He’d said sugar cookies were his favorite. I’d made them with Janice’s fox cookie cutter from her wedding, and frosted them with orange frosting. I was hoping he would like them, and not feel like a cannibal.

  “This came for you,” Theo said, handing me an padded envelope. “It must be from Devlin. The return address is Hayden.”

  I took it from him, perplexed. What had Devlin sent me? While I was dying to rip open the package, I was conscious of Theo watching me out of the corner of his eye. Knowing Devlin, there could be almost anything in there, but odds were that whatever it was would be provocative. It was better to wait until later, when I was alone.

  I put the package to the side, and left it there, unopened. “Are you ready to grill the steaks?”

  Devon let out a loud purr, and began to chirp at me, looking eagerly at the countertop where the steaks were.

  “Coming right up,” Theo said happily. “Bring out a glass of wine and keep me company. It’s a nice night.” He grabbed the steaks and headed outside, Devon trotting after him.

  I bit my lip to keep from smiling. He’d just said it was cold a second earlier. “Be right there.”

  * * * *

  “We’re meeting with Devlin at the airport to fly up to Canada,” Theo said, shoving on his shoes. “We’re going to admit everything to do with your pregnancy, including Devon. As that worked to everyone’s advantage, Devlin said it didn’t matter. All you have to remember is that you didn’t have any surgery afterwards. You were out for the C-section, so just say you don’t remember, which is factual—”

  “Theo, I’m not going to be at the meeting,” I said patiently. “Titus’s already taken Devon and Venus to stay with Terian, Sundown, Elle and Theoron at Danial’s. We should all have some fun tonight. I’m looking forward to seeing Sun, actually. Terian told me Asher likes her, so—”

  “I’m just telling you what to remember for the Hallow’s party,” he replied. “It’s coming up in another month. Samuel and the rest will be there.”

  I made a face. “I’ll do my best not to converse with them, then. When is Titus coming for me?”

  “Right after I leave at nine,” Theo said, checking his watch. “And I’m late, so anytime.”

  “I’m surprised Lash isn’t going with you,” I said curiously.

  “Devlin said he didn’t trust the bears not to trash the place if they were left alone there.” Theo shrugged. “It’s just as well he stays behind. You know we don’t get along.”

  “I’m aware,” I said, kissing him goodbye. “Be careful.”

  “You be careful, too,” he said softly, stroking my face. “Call Titus and tell him to come and get you. He’s late.”

  I wasn’t able t
o teleport to Danial’s house right now, or even to the grounds of his land, but it was only temporary. Titus had put up a spell to block anyone getting in except him, just for that night, for extra security. While I felt safer knowing any attempt to attack Danial’s home would be foiled, no teleporting was a pain in the ass. “I’ll call right after you leave,” I promised. “I just need to get some clothes on and pack some last minute things.”

  “I wish we both could just go back to bed,” Theo said wistfully, hugging me. “That last hour with you was perfect.”

  “Yes, it was,” I said sexily. “Now get going before I demand a repeat performance.”

  “You’ll get one the second I get back,” Theo said huskily. He gave me a last hug, and then dashed out the door.

  Silently wishing him luck, I threw a few changes of clothes in a bag, my brand new sexy nightgown, an oversized T-shirt, my favorite hairbrush, and some extra conditioner. Danial had everything else I would need, especially for one night.

  The new nightgown I was planning on wearing for him had come the day before in the mail. I planned to leave it there that night with a romantic note on it, saying that I’d wear it for him this weekend. For this evening, though, the T-shirt would do.

  I called Terian. “Where’s my demon ride, Tears?”

  “Putting up some extra protective barriers around the main house. He’ll be there in two minutes, he says. Sit tight.”

  “So much for small talk,” I said, listening to the sudden dial tone. Replacing the receiver, I caught sight again of my package from Dev on the counter.

  I looked it over, wondering why Dev had sent me something in the mail. He usually preferred to give me any gifts in person. Weirder, the postmark was from Georgia, from four days ago. I turned it over in my hands, foreboding filling me.

  This couldn’t be from Devlin. Maybe I shouldn’t open it. What if it were poison? But it didn’t feel like poison; there was something hard inside. Also, poison would have affected Theo when he’d carried it all the way from the mailbox to the house. What if the poison was for me?

  Going to the sink, I grabbed my rubber gloves, put them on, and then tore open the package. Out slid a sheathed knife and one piece of paper. I set the paper aside, all my attention on the knife. It was beautiful, the hilt and sheath made of cherry wood. Eager to try it on, I opened my belt and put it through the two belt loops. Refastening my belt, I unsnapped the knife, and slid it out of its sheath. The blade was honed to a razor’s edge, and engraved with acid on the top, making the steel dark and rough. The finger guard was also acid-etched. I looked closer. In the darker part of the blade—so faint as to be almost hidden—was a Japanese symbol, perhaps a word. But the lines of it were clean, freshly carved. Someone had put this symbol on the blade, most likely whomever had sent it to me. What did it mean?

  Without putting down the knife, I picked up the piece of paper.

  Sar, you need a good knife, so I’m giving you this one. I’ve sharpened it, and it should serve you well for years to come. Lash.

  He’d drawn a little snake next to his name.

  This was bizarre. Why was he in Georgia? He was supposed to be at Hayden. Was he on a job? Why not wait to give me the knife in person when he got back?

  I was still holding the knife when Titus appeared, his blackness making me shiver.

  It was always so much thicker than Terian’s, so much more powerful.

  “Ready to go?” Titus said gently. Then he saw me with the knife.

  As I looked into his eyes, I suddenly understood he both knew what this meant, and that he was not happy about my present. My foreboding deepened. “What is this?”

  “It was time, Sarelle,” Titus said. “He left a week ago. Devlin thinks he went out on a job, that he’s coming back later tonight.”

  I knew exactly what he was talking about: Lash’s death. My apprehension became panic. “Why?” I asked loudly. “Lash said he had years left! Years!”

  “More like months,” Titus said, his red eyes holding mine. “And that was months ago.”

  It all came together for me at once. This was why Lash had asked me to go back to Devlin. He’d known he was dying, and he’d wanted Devlin to have someone who loved him so he wouldn’t be alone, or get into too much trouble. This was why he had talked about family, and that it meant something to him. This was why he hadn’t cared if he’d died saving us, because he was going to be dead soon anyway. Why he had warned me to be careful, if Dev and I went out again, because if it happened again, he wouldn’t be around to save us. Why he and I had gone out for sushi that night, but he hadn’t eaten much. He hadn’t been feeling like hibernating, he’d been getting ready to die. And he’d asked me to come those extra days to Hayden because he’d wanted to spend some extra time with me, lying together in the sun as we had those months ago and talking to maybe the only person in his life who shared his taste in movies.

  “But I saw him! I talked to him! He was fine!” I screamed hysterically.

  “He got a wound on a job he did a few weeks ago,” Titus rumbled. “Some were bit him. It wasn’t bad, and I healed what would heal, but it turned septic anyway. His immune system is shot, and had been for a while—”

  Had it been Satar who’d bit Lash? Something told me it had been. My hysteria went up another notch. “No, he was fine!” I shouted. “He saved me, saved Devlin! He carried him—!”

  “He collapsed when he got back to Hayden,” Titus rumbled, his red eyes smoldering. “Saving Devlin and you took everything he had left. He spent these past two weeks recovering enough strength to go wherever it is he went.”

  That day I’d seen Lash reading with the blankets. He hadn’t moved, and his body had been mostly covered. I’d thought he had just been cold...

  I closed my eyes, fighting tears. “But why not stay here with Dev? Why go off alone?” I shouted. “Who wants to die alone?”

  “He did,” Titus said, his deep voice agitated now. “And it was his choice.”

  Fury rapidly replaced anguish. “He only made that choice because you didn’t tell him about my blood! That a massive infusion of it might work, might save him!”

  “Devlin would never risk you, not even for Lash,” Titus said harshly. “He’d need to take all of it, Sarelle. You’d die saving him. And there’s no guarantee it would even work.”

  This couldn’t be happening. Fate couldn’t be that cruel, that Lash could save us but not himself. That he was going to die alone, without his loved ones near him, after all the good he had done. But fate was that cruel. I’d seen it firsthand, when a freak accident had left me a widow. I’d seen it later, in the years I’d spent apart from Theo, thinking he was dead. I’d seen it in the tears Danial had cried, all those times now I’d left him.

  Lash had saved us. This time he needed someone else to save him. And I’d be damned if I stayed here, knowing all this, and didn’t at least try.

  I looked at Titus, stripped off the gloves, and resheathed the knife at my side with a sharp click. “If I did it, could you save me?” I said bluntly. “Or would he need to turn me when it was done?”

  Titus completely lost it, his angry terrifying. “You are not risking your life, not for that evil snake!” he snarled, showing his many rows of teeth. He reached for me with clawed fingers, his eyes flaming, the heat coming off him making my body break out in sweat. The stench of sulfur and brimstone smothered me, his blackness engulfing me as if I’d been dropped into Hell itself.

  I teleported instantly, evading him, and then I was standing holding my purse and duffel bag in the parking lot of the Eckerd’s in Alan’s Creek.

  I flipped open my phone, and called Titus. He answered before it had rung once, snarling out his words. “Don’t you dare, Sar! He’ll kill you! Think of your children!”

  I’d had enough of people telling me what to do, what I had to do, what was best for me. I was doing this. “Get whatever you need ready!” I snarled back. “And leave your phone on.”

  �
�You don’t even know where he is—”

  “I know.” I hung up, and threw the phone in the nearby dumpster. It could be used to track me, and I needed not to be found, not for a while. Thankfully Titus hadn’t recharged the tracer spell he’d put on me yet. He had been going to do that tonight, as soon as we got to Danial’s house.

  Taking out my old phone from my purse, I made sure the battery was charged. It was. I turned it off to save the battery, and then teleported again to Dr. Camlyn’s office building in my usual exam room, number one. It took me a good twenty minutes to gather up everything I thought I would need. Then I teleported again, this time to the Everglades. If Lash had a home other than Hayden, this had to be it.

  Arriving near the edge of the swamp, I was immediately besieged by mosquitoes. I hurriedly walked as fast as I could to the campground head office, covering my head with one of my shirts from my duffel bag. That kept most of them off me, though there were a few bites already on my forehead and hands.

  The building was closed, being night, but I broke in easily, the door having only a simple key lock. After that experience with Ulysses, I’d kept my lock picking tools in my purse. Theo had taught me well, though he would not approve of me using my learned skills to save Lash. Theo was not going to like any of this. He was going to be enraged and he might even tell me it was over between us. But Lash was my friend and he was dying, and I didn’t care.

  I looked through the files to see who was registered at which campsite. With it being the off-season, the park was mostly empty, so there weren’t that many groups here camping. Also, most of the older tourists elected to stay in the one hotel within the park, rather than at a campsite. If it had been summer, there would have been way too many people around to have a chance in hell of finding one man alone camping. But Lash would want as much privacy as possible. It made sense he would be in the most remote campsite there was.

  I finally found him listed: Mr. Lash, party of one. He was staying at the very edge of the campground, nearest the swamp. He hadn’t bothered to use an alias. But why would he? No one would have come looking for him except Dev, and he thought he was on a job. No one but Titus knew he wasn’t coming back tonight to Hayden. Except Dev, Lash had no other friends to wonder where he was.