Blood. She wanted my blood to heal before she died from her wounds. As much as I needed her for my own ambitions, seeing her vulnerable presented a whole new chance for opportunities. Taking a few steps forward, I stopped just out of her reach.
“Before I let you drink from me, I want to negotiate a new deal.”
“You dare try to bargain with me after everything I’ve done for you?” Helena asked incredulously.
“Everything the Master has done for me,” I corrected.
“Whatever. Give me what I want, Amber. Don’t make me regret including you in this.”
“But you did. You needed me then, and you need me even more now.”
Her body convulsed as it began to give out. Her face was white, the light in her eyes fading. “Fine. What do you want?”
“I want a place by the side of the Master. I want to be important. Me. Not Mason. Me.”
“I’m sure the Master will agree,” Helena quickly replied, stretching her feeble hand out.
“I want you to swear you’ll make it happen.”
“I swear. Now, please.”
I don’t know what I enjoyed more—knowing my future was suddenly brighter or the fact I had one of the most powerful people I knew begging. Dropping to my knees, my teeth tore open my wrist and let my life-giving blood flow. “Remember your promise, Helena.”
She greedily grabbed my arm and began sucking. Slowly, but surely, her wounds began to heal and color returned to her face. She didn’t answer me, her throat swallowing what I offered in large mouthfuls. It was a risk pissing her off, but I hadn’t come this far by playing it safe.
Nothing would stop me.
I would take advantage of anyone and anything to climb to the top.
I didn’t hear the footsteps until it was too late. Something grabbed the back of my shirt; ripping me away from Helena and slamming me down hard, face first, into the ground. Before I could react and fight against my captor, silvered cuffs snapped around my wrists. The contact sizzled against my flesh, reducing my strength dramatically.
“What the . . .?” I asked as I was roughly turned over.
Mason’s furious face stared down at me.
He’d found me.
The cold look I received from him told me everything. He knew. He might not know I was Amber, but he knew I wasn’t his beloved Darcy. Bucking against my restraints, there was no way I was going to let him take me willing. I was still part vampire and even though it would be harder, these handcuffs wouldn’t hold me for much longer.
“I don’t know who you are, but these are Enforcer cuffs. Unbreakable,” Mason growled.
“Maybe, but pity we can’t say the same for your heart. I’m going to enjoy watching it shatter.” The line between love and hate grew murkier as I spat in his face. I was sick of seeing him look at me as though I was beneath him. I was done allowing him to make me feel like I was nothing.
In that second, I knew I could hate Mason O’Connor much more than I could ever love him.
Hate was a far superior master.
“I’m going to bury you,” he whispered menacingly. “I’m not going to rest until you’re out of my wife and destroyed.”
“Then tick tock, lover. You better act fast because she’s not going to last much longer.”
“What do you mean?” Mason thundered, lifting me off the ground enough to slam me back down.
That’s when I started laughing. Once I did, I couldn’t stop—over and over until tears filled my eyes and spilled over.
Even as Devlin compelled me to sleep, my hysterics echoed in my mind, joining me in the darkness
Chapter Five
Mason
The waiting was torturous.
The thing that was occupying my wife sat on the other side of the one-way mirror I was watching through, similarly chained to the table and chair as Morgan, the rogue witch Devlin and I had accused of causing all the deaths in town, had been.
Fury pulsed red hot through me the longer Devlin interrogated the hijacker.
Every now and then, Darcy would look over to the mirror and smile, the sight of it crushing me. That ‘thing’ had taunted me back at the vortex, words filled with lies about how my mate was slowly dying inside of her and that time was running out. My head reasoned with this new information and I tried convincing myself it was merely a stalling technique and way to get under my skin.
The very thought of Darcy slipping even further away from me, out of my reach, terrified me. It made standing here, while Devlin conducted a proper interview to establish who we were dealing with, pure insanity. On the way to the Council offices, where dungeons were maintained beneath the building, I’d argued hard for my case to simply magic the truth out of Darcy.
It’d been on the tip of my tongue to shake it loose through a little rough handling to pry the traitor’s mouth open—a stronger incentive to confess than simply sitting quietly in an enclosed room.
So far, Devlin and Darcy were at a stalemate.
Darcy.
It wasn’t Darcy. It was the thing inside her. The very dead thing I would destroy the second I knew how to.
I didn’t care who it was or why this had happened. Those answers were irrelevant now. I was way past being understanding and tolerant. Someone had come gunning for my wife when she was at her most vulnerable. Once I dealt with the imposter, my next stop would be to visit that betraying bitch downstairs, Helena.
We’d welcomed her into our home. I’d entrusted the woman I loved to her care and this was how she repaid my generosity. Her involvement had rattled Vivien hard as she greeted us when we pulled up with the duo. She’d been completely blindsided, having taken her long-time friend into her confidences and inviting her into her inner circle. Helena had been privy to so much, only to use that information against us, against the supernatural community who’d embraced her as a supportive colleague.
Betrayal surrounded us and we were all reeling from the painful dagger we could almost feel protruding from our backs. It proved, once again, the importance of being careful about who we let in—that it wasn’t always the stranger who posed the greatest threat. No, most times it was the friend, the one who smiled and placated you with agreeable words, the one who patiently waited to strike when it would do the most damage.
I thought I’d learned that with Amber, my former girlfriend and betrothed mate.
I’d vowed never to allow myself to be fooled again, when Nathan, a trusted pack brother and friend, sided with Amber and accused Darcy of magical falsehoods. When he stepped forward to defend his lover’s honor and challenged me, it was like a dagger through my heart.
Killing wasn’t something I reveled in. It was a necessary evil that came with being Alpha and the need to defend my pack. I always tried to reason first, to understand what went wrong, and find an alternative that encouraged the wrong doer to reform—be better.
But not this time. This time there would be no mercy. That Mason had stepped aside when I’d entered the scene at the Vortex and witnessed the senseless destruction unleashed. All the blood spilt and dark magic that tinged the air with its vile corruption.
He wasn’t here, standing in this small-darkened room, jaw clenched as a heavier weight pressed firmly on his chest. With each thunderous tick of the clock hanging on the wall beside me, I pushed that Mason deeper and deeper down. I wouldn’t allow his willingness to look for the good in people to cloud what needed to be done.
Darcy needed to be freed–and whoever was controlling her? They needed to be killed with my bare hands.
Pack justice.
“How you holding up?” Daniel asked, coming up from behind.
I hadn’t heard him come in. Turning, I growled low before returning my gaze to where Devlin and Darcy sat, now in heated conversation.
Placing a reassuring hand on my shoulder, my first instinct was to shrug him off. As he squeezed firmly, I realized the gesture for what it was—a warning to calm down. Nothing would be achieved if I lost my temper entirely, ev
en if it was justified. I needed to remain level headed for Darcy’s sake.
Her safety came first; and then I would avenge her.
Slowly releasing the tension in my jaw, I nodded my thanks for his quiet intervention. “This is driving me nuts.”
“I know. I could feel your power through the building. It’s making everyone twitchy.” The everyone he referred to were those council members working in their offices and Enforcers assigned to the area.
“It’s kind of hard to suppress it, Daniel. That’s my girl in there. That thing . . .” I spat at the last word with disgust. “That thing has been inside her for who knows how long, wreaking havoc. It’s put Darcy in danger and I can’t forgive that.”
“I know; and though it doesn’t help, getting so agitated that you could level the building isn’t either.”
I gave him a look that told him he was being absurd. “Fine, maybe not that bad. But we found her in time and now we can get her back. Once Devlin’s finished getting the information he needs, Vivien will come in and exorcise whoever it is.”
“Can’t come soon enough,” I growled.
“Any idea who you think it is?”
“No, and I don’t care. They’re dead the moment I know Darcy’s out of danger and whole again.”
Movement on the other side of the mirror caught my attention. The interrogation had come to a grinding halt as Devlin stood, the chair scraping across the linoleum floor, and exited the room. A few seconds later, he entered the area where I’d been watching, a look of frustration blazing over his features.
“That good, huh?” Daniel joked, weakly.
“I’m just going to say it. This is a total shit storm.” Rubbing his brow, Devlin appeared exhausted.
He gave me a cautious look to see how I was holding up and I pointed to Daniel. “I’ve had company. I’m fine.”
“I’m still not a hundred percent who’s involved with this, but whoever’s inside Darcy is enjoying it. They’ve had me running around in circles the past hour, knowing that I won’t touch them.”
“Because of Darcy,” I agreed. I knew how Enforcer interrogations could evolve when the captive was painstakingly elusive and stubborn—talk first, touch next—usually with fists. Violence was never the answer, but sometimes, sometimes the threat of it was an effective tool.
“It’s everything I can do not to reach over and throttle her, but I just can’t.”
“Because it’s Darcy,” I repeated.
Devlin nodded quickly and let out a heavy sigh. “We could be here all night. I think they’re enjoying the run around they’re giving us. I did manage to get some details, though.” He paused and watched me carefully.
“What?” I asked, dread sinking in my gut. It was never a good thing when Devlin looked at me like that.
“You sure you’re ready to know? It could simply be a way to mess with our heads.”
I knew exactly what he was about to say before he said it. “Let me guess, they said Darcy’s dying.”
“And that it’s only a matter of time before she fades away and she’s gone forever.”
That’s twice the hijacker in my wife’s body had said that and my wolf pushed forward, ready to rip their throat out for threatening our mate. “Do we believe them?” Darcy, or the person inside her, was still sitting in her chair unable to move. It would be too easy to go inside that room and beat them to a bloody pulp, striking hard and fast until they all but screamed the answers I needed.
This had unleashed a darkness in me—a viciousness I never knew I was capable of.
“We’d be fools not to.”
“Then call Vivien. Information be damned. I want my wife back, Devlin, and it’s about time she’s returned to me.”
Glaring through the mirror, as if my sheer willpower could unravel the mystery behind the possession, there was a flash of a snarky smile across Darcy’s face. She couldn’t see me, but in that moment, I swore she did. Licking her lips, our eyes seemed to lock and she blew me a kiss.
The chains didn’t allow much room for movement, but somehow she managed to raise her hand to her face, not shifting her gaze. She knew she had an audience and must’ve known that I’d be observing, because what she did next was just for me.
Mouthing the words, goodbye Darcy, the imposter began laughing as she gouged a deep cut into the side of her face, licking the blood from her fingertips.
There was no holding me back. The stranger in my wife’s body had just thrown down the gauntlet, challenging me to try and stop them. I couldn’t refuse—wouldn’t.
Not giving Devlin and Daniel a chance to find out what had just happened, I barged past them, storming into the interrogation room.
“There you are, my lover. I knew you’d be watching.” The voice gloated.
“Who are you?” I thundered, slamming my fists down hard on the table to prevent myself from laying my hands on Darcy.
“Oh, you don’t know, loooover?” The last word was drawn out for emphasis. Darcy’s lips curled into a seductive grin. “After all we’ve been through, do you really think death would stop me from getting what I want?”
“What?” My question came out before realization hit. “Amber?”
“See, that wasn’t so hard, was it? My name always did sound good coming from your lips.”
“You’re claiming to be Amber? The one my wife killed during a wolf challenge?” I had to be sure. All this time I’d believed we were free of her, yet here she was—back and still trying to come between me and Darcy.
“How about you release me from these restraints and I’ll help you remember?” Her gaze dropped down to my crotch as she hungrily smiled. “True, this body is pathetic and substandard, but I’m sure we can make some good use of it.”
“I. Will. Never. Touch. You.” I punched out my vow through clenched teeth. “Ever.”
“Oh, but how quickly you forget. You’ve already touched me.”
The reminder was like a sucker punch that winded not just me but my soul, crushing it with the knowledge she was right. My only defense was I hadn’t known the woman I needed that night, the one I’d turned to and found solace in after a terrifying nightmare, wasn’t Darcy—my mate, but Amber.
“I made love to my wife,” I fired back, angrily.
“If that’s what you have to tell yourself to sleep at night, so be it. But Mason, you made love to me. You looked in my eyes and saw me.”
“Now, who’s lying to herself?” My comment rattled her, causing her to howl when the restraints prevented her from launching herself at me.
“It was me!” she screeched.
“It would never be you. It will forever be her.” I retaliated, stepping close enough to bend over and lock gazes. “Now get out of her body before I force you to.”
“You’ll never hurt your beloved Darcy,” Amber spat, her visage revealing the insanity of her spirit. “You’d never harm a hair on her head. You can’t make me do anything.” There was more laughter that skated dangerously over the line to mania.
“Trust me. I can and will.” Firmly gripping her face, holding it tight so she had no choice but to look at me. I would only repeat this once more. “Get out of her body before I force you to.”
“With what? Your bare hands? None of you will touch me. All I have to do is wait and she’ll be bye, bye, Darcy. Such a shame. Not!”
“I don’t need to use physical force,” I answered calmly. The fury I’d felt earlier had simmered down, replaced with crystal clear clarity that we wouldn’t be too late. Darcy would live and finally, finally, we could lay this bitch to rest.
“But you know how rough I like it.”
“I won’t ever touch you that way.”
“Hmmm, maybe we can strike a deal. Give me a night of pleasure and you can have your precious mate back.” Her face lost all resemblance of cruel malice, softening to how she looked when we were younger. “It was good between us, remember?”
“Don’t confuse me for one of your idiot p
lay things, Amber. Darcy doesn’t have hours. And again, I won’t touch you. Ever.”
Savagery erupted across her features—a look I hoped never to see once Darcy returned and fully controlled her own body. “Then prepare to watch the bitch die. I gave you a chance to let me love you and you spurned me. Beware the woman scorned, Alpha. As deeply as we love, we’re masters at hate.”
“No, you beware. Keep your hatred. You’ll need it to keep you company when I send you to Hell.” Releasing her jaw, my resolve hardened. There were many things I knew that infuriated Amber, and one of them was turning my back on her.
I did that as I retraced my steps to the cell door and banged hard to be let out.
“Don’t you leave. Don’t you dare walk away from me. You know I’m right. You know you love me. She never deserved you,” Amber screamed, over and over.
I didn’t answer her, my back straight and my gaze forward, while I waited for either Daniel or Devlin to answer my knocking.
“You’re too late. She’s already faded away. You’ll never be able to reach her. Never be able to get me to leave this body. I’m here to stay, Mason O’Connor. Do you here me? Don’t you walk away!”
It was Devlin who came in, and judging by the look on his face, he’d been watching, giving me the time I needed to see for myself. “So Amber is in there.”
“She’s been working with Helena all this time.”
“Should I go see how Asher’s interrogation of Helena is going?” From the brief reports that had been shared, she was still weak from her battle with the vortex’s magic and a New York Enforcer was taking advantage of it to get her to talk.
“No, get Vivien in here. Something tells me neither of them will talk, no matter what we do. I want my wife back. Amber is a lot of things, including a liar, but I trust her when she says Darcy’s dying. I won’t risk her safety on the off chance it’s all a ploy.”
“I agree and I’ve already made the call. Vivien should be here shortly.”
The room behind me was silent except for the jagged sobs now coming from Darcy’s body. Fake tears used to try and reel me in.
Darkness Unleashed Page 5
