Tasting Darkness

Read Tasting Darkness [Tempting Darkness] By Jessica Hall Book 2 Chapter 34 - Aleera POV | almost stumbled back as the full realization of what | had just said hit me. | understood it, but knowing it and believing it were two different things. One does not want to believe they were raised by monsters. Because if they were monsters, what would they make me? My mother? She'd been the source of everything that had terrorized us for so long, or was | missing svital piece of information. | had uncovered so many secrets, yet not nearly enough to have a clear picture.

She'd been the one that had ruined everything for us before we even got to begin yet no matter what something felt off. Too many secrets and too many lies. | wondered when It would cfull circle, when the lies would pile too high and it would break down the walls and spill only truth.

“No,” Darius whispered. He shook his head. There was no hesitation in him.” Don’t blyourself, Aleera. You couldn’t have known,” Darius tells me, feeling my tumultuous guilt. Darius opens up a portal leading back to our room. Reluctantly | step through it to find Kalen getting dressed.

“I was wondering where you two went,” he says; | swallowed, picking up on Darius ‘nervousness behind me.

“Everything okay?” Kalen asks me, and | nod, moving toward Ryze, where he is perched on the windowsill. | scratch his tummy feathers.

“Where are you going?” Darius asks Kalen.

Kalen seemed to be in a very excitable mood today. | couldn’t help but notice the change through the bond.

“Into town, we need more Phoenix food,” “Not by yourself, you're not,” Darius tells him. Kalen smiles at him as he does up his shoelace.

“With you and Aleera, of course,” he says, tying the other shoelace.

“I am not sure about Aleera going into town, Kalen, maybe you both stay here, and I will go. It is safer that way,” Darius says.

“Safer by yourself? Have you forgotten what she is? The safest place is beside her, and god help you if you are against her,” Kalen chuckles, and | smirk.

“Really?” Darius says, eyeingc***kily.

“Yep, if she wants to, she would cook your a*s, and you know it,” Kalen says, nudging him. | fold my arms and stare at him.

“Hear that your a*s is toast,” | tell him. Darius chuckles, shaking his head.

“Don’t get too c**ky. Everything you have done is ruled by emotion. You may have infinite power, Aleera, but that doesn’t mean you know how to use it,” I roll my eyes at him, turning back to Ryze.

“I know how to do one thing,” I tell him.” And what is that?” Darius whispers, makingjump when I find he is suddenly behind me.

“I can control the phoenixes. If | can’t fry vou they will for me.” Darius laughs and you, they will for me,” Darius laughs and looks down at the crates of birds.

“Those plucked dodos look real dangerous,” he says, and | lean forward and peer out the window seeing the biggest of my flock flying up high in the sky with the others.

| whistle and stand back. We hear a mighty screech before the wind, as loud as a hurricane, blows past the windows as he fl***ps his giant wings outside the window looking in.

“You were saying?” | ask Darius.

“That | love your oversized flaming pigeons,” he laughs, shooing my phoenix away. He fl***ps his wings a few times, hovering in the sspot for a few seconds before taking off.

“Fine, you can come. But stick close,” Darius tellsjust as the bathroom door opens and Tobias and Lycus hop out. Lycus is covered in bite marks, and it was obvious what they were doing in there.

“So, what's going on?” Lycus asks.

“Nothing that concerns you. You are housebound until further notice after your little stunt,” Darius tells him, and he groans, stalking toward the closet to retrieve his clothes. Tobias kisses my cheek as he passes me, also going to get dressed.

Everyone was on edge when we headed into town for the first twenty minutes. We didn’t bother with the car this time, instead taking backpacks and using the portals. | had hardly any magic when | left, but Tobias was staying behind with Lycus, to letsiphon his power until | returned. Yet his power was burning throughfiercely, and the longer we were cleaning out the grocery stores of mince, rice, and spam, the hotter I became.

Moisture dampened my panties as | moved toward the freezer section. | was tempted to stick my head in one of the freezers just to cool down when a set of arms wrapped around my waist. | peer over my shoulder, his bare skin offering relief, and | lean back into him when it washed overwith startling clarity. F***ck! Darius ties his jacket around my waist.” You're bleeding,” he whispers in my ear, makinglook down. That explains why | feel so hot then. Yet could it have worse timing? This couldn’t have cabout an hour ago while still at the castle.

“Kalen, watch Aleera. We need to get out of here,” Darius calls to him. Kalen looks up from the shelf he stands in front of.” What's going on?” “She is going to shred soon. We need to get her hbefore any power hunters pick up on her,” Darius growls.

“Cr#*p,” Kalen curses, coming to a stop by my side. He looks down at my ruined pants. Why oh why did | choose today to wear white tights? “Get her out of here!” Darius snarls suddenly from somewhere at the front of the store. Kalen doesn’t hesitate, tossing his hands up and opening a portal before shovingtoward it. Panicked, | look toward the front as Kalen tries to pushthrough the portal.

“Aleera, he will be fine,” Kalen tellswhen | see a hooded figure walk across the aisle we were instim Cursing Ishove the aisle we were just in. Cursing, | shove Kalen through the portal, shutting it, knowing Darius would need help if power hunters were here.

Yet as | race past the middle aisle, a hand reaches out and grabs me. | toss up my hands, blasting them with power, but it bounces off the shield and smashes into the roof, blowing a hole in the ceiling and cutting out the lights. Yet as | peered through the shield.

“Aleera,” she breathes.

“Mum?” | ask, staring at a woman | thought was dead all these years to learn she worked with the power hunters.

“I knew it had to be you when Waylen picked up on your magic. He said it flared off like a beacon, so strong, so beautiful,” she whispers, cupping my face in her hands. | push her hands away, and she glances down the aisle behind her. | was in too much shock to do anything other than stare at her. | knew | should probably be running from her.

“Who is Waylen?” | was unable to form a coherent thought; | was too shocked at actually seeing with my own that she was alive.

“He is Dark-Fae, also a power seeker,” my mother tells me, and | blink at her.

“We haven't got much time. I'm not sure what Darius has told you,” she says, grabbing my arm. She glances around nervously. | look at her hand on my wrist as she tugstoward the back of the store. | hear fighting at the front of the store. | jerk my hand out of her grip, and she stops.

“You attacked us,” | tell her angrily. She shakes her head. “No, as soon as they said there was a Harmony-Fae.

We couldn't leave them there in his hands; | just got lucky that it was you. We were trying to save you,” “We have to go, quick while Darius is distracted,” she says, but | pull out of her grip.

“I know dad is responsible for the plague, “I tell her, and she tilts her head to the side, watching me.

“Is that what he told you?” she chuckles and shakes her head. “I knew they got in your head Aleera didn’t think you would be silly enough to believe them,” she says, looking disappointed.

“You and dad tried to kill me,” | tell her, and she seems outraged at my accusation.

“No, he killed your father and blocked us from getting to you. | looked for you for years, but they put scloaking spells on you. Not even Spark could find you, we used to follow him and hope he would pick up on your magic when he went missing. We thought he was killed, though | am glad he has been with you all this time,” | shake my head.

“Spark?” | ask knowing that was the nof my mother’s phoenix. She nods her head.

“We lost him a few times over the years, you know how Phoenixes are with Dark Fae, he always turned oneventually, and we had to kill him, but then he went missing and | saw him protecting you, we figured he went looking for his baby, then we saw he was with you,” “Wait, my Phoenix, Ryze?” | ask her.

“The little one? You named her Ryze?” she asks and | nod my head.

“No, your little Phoenix, Ryze is Spark's daughter, she was unbonded,” my mother tells me. Wait, Ryze is a girl?" The biggest one of your flock, that is Spark, Sweetie. My Spark, or he was before,” she smiles sadly.

“He never comes close only a few times and they weren't good times, but he always followed me. He still recognized me, just not my magic, he went missing when your Phoenix did,” she tells me.

“I guess he is yours now,” she tellsbefore glancing around nervously. “Cwe need to go,” she says but | pull away from her, still untrusting of this woman. Yet she was mum and she wasn’t trying to hurt me.

My mother grips my arms and glances down at my ruined pants, and heat floods my face. She clicks her tongue.

“We were good parents. We loved you. Why would we hurt you?” she asks, and my brows pinch together. They were good parents; | never knew this evil side Darius claims they had. But what of Darius’ memories | had seen where my father stood over him as a small boy? “I can prove it,” she says, lettinggo and taking a step back from me.

“How?” “You're about to shred,” she says, reaching into her pocket. She pulls a stone from her pocket when I hear Kalen call out my nfrom another aisle, having portaled back. She thrusts the stone at me.

“I am on your side Aleera. Your mates are the bad ones, rub this stone when you need me; | will be able to find you.” she goes to turn away from me.

“Wait, how can | trust you?” | ask her, knowing better after everything I learned. She glances down at my ruined pants.

“Because | know Darius wouldn't risk the things he has done getting out. That man is responsible for everything, everything, Aleera. You'll see for yourself,” “Your words prove nothing. Why shouldn’t I just kill you,” “Then you would be killing an ally, not an enemy. You want proof, ask Darius to let you mark him; it will be in his memories, “she tells me, and my face falls.

“And judging by that look on your face, he won't, will he? That should be enough of an answer.” “I know his reasoning,” | tell her, hearing Kalen call out my nagain.

“You know what lies he fed you. | know the truth and when you want to know too, cfind me, Aleera,” she says, pointing to the stone in my hand.

“His father is responsible for the plague. We tried to stop it. Instead, we were cast out and called criminals,” she tellsbefore opening up a portal and stepping through it.

“Then he and Tobias tried to kill us. We tried to stop him from getting to you. But he sealed your room when he recognized you were his keeper,” | shake my head, not wanting to believe her.

“No, you sealedin; you tried to kill me,” my mother shakes her head.

“No, baby. No, we didn’t. A seal can only be broken by its manifester. How else would he have got you out?” she tells me.

“I am so glad we found you, sweetie,” she says, blowinga kiss before closing the portal and vanishing. | stared at the spot, feeling somewhat confused.

“Aleera!” Kalen calls out, and | turn around, looking for him. Yet | find Darius first, and moments later, Kalen finds me.

“I told you to get her out of here,” Darius snapped at him. Kalen pressed his lips in a line, and | quickly pocketed the stone.

“Sorry, | wanted to help you. He did try,” | told Darius, not wanting him to get in trouble. | knew I should tell them about the sighting of my mother ut for s the sighting of my mother, yet for sreason, | couldn't bring myself to say the words. Suddenly | doubted everything Darius and the others told me.

“Con,” Darius says, opening a portal. “In! | will grab everything and meet you at home,” he snaps atbefore not givinga choice when he shovesthrough the portal and into Tobias’s waiting arms.