A Darker Past (The Darker Agency #2)(70)

“I love you,” I repeated, stronger than the first time. “And you love me. That’s why we waited. Because there’s no rush. We have a lifetime.”

There was a loud crack like lightning, only all around, and we were back in the main room, in our own clothing, and standing in front of that creepy little demon girl.

Lukas stumbled back, taking me with him. “What—”

The demon grinned, but it was all tooth. Predatory and furious. “Congratulations.”

I inhaled to try to even out my breathing. Three seconds ago, I’d been mostly naked with Lukas. My head spun.

“Aww,” I said, taking a step back. “Don’t feel bad. Not everyone can be great at what they do. Besides, it’s not like you can hurt me.”

When would I learn to keep my mouth closed?

The demon-child’s lips twisted. “You are not worthy of the House of Pride. A creature such as you, born into our ranks, is an abomination. Some may find disappointment if your life were to end. Others”—she snapped her fingers, and the Lust door disappeared, replaced by another—“may reward me.”





Chapter Twenty-Eight


We didn’t walk through the door this time. One minute the demon was there, the next Lukas and I were transported to another place.

“Awesome,” I said, folding my arms. I didn’t recognize the scene. We were outside what looked like a barn. It was dark, and there were people everywhere. Milling around in bunches, chatting as though we weren’t there. It was some kind of party. “Does that mean the demon-imposed hands-off label has been removed from my ass?”

Lukas didn’t answer. He was staring at something over my shoulder.

When I turned, a sick feeling bubbled in the pit of my stomach. Through the crowd, one person stuck out. A girl about my height with long raven hair and a wicked grin.

Meredith, his witch of an ex, came forward, stopping a few feet from where we stood. “You gave me such a precious gift.” Her eyes flashed red. “It’s only fair I return the favor.” She winked. “Again.”

Lukas screamed. He stumbled away, knocking over several people in the crowd as he tried to run, but it was no use. The bright red light welled inside Meredith, pulsing in her belly twice before rocketing up the length of her body. Through her throat and out her open mouth, Wrath broke free and dived for him.

I tried to drag him from its path—not that it would have done any good—but the Sin was like a heat-seeking missile. It slammed into him, knocking him out of my grasp and off his feet with a thunderous crack like lightning.

Lukas doubled over as his body was engulfed in red. There was a flash of blinding light. Still, no one seemed concerned. They all kept going about their business, oblivious to what was taking place.

“Lukas!” I rushed to where he sat huddled in a ball on the grass a few feet away. Meredith was gone, and the people around us didn’t seem to care. “Are you okay?”

“Jessie,” he groaned. A shiver ran through his body, and when he lifted his head, his gaze met mine in a storm of blazing red. “Get out of here.”

I gasped. In his eyes raged a violent war. “This isn’t real,” I said, reaching for him. If I could just get him to calm down…

He knocked my hand away with brutal force. “Don’t tell me it’s not real. I feel it.”

As if in agreement, the chatter in the crowd around us grew louder. More volatile. A small group of women to our right, previously laughing, were now trading harsh words. The one on the end, a tall brunette with pointy heels, shoved the woman across from her. When her friend-turned-foe pushed back, the brunette whipped off her shoe and buried the spiky heel in the other woman’s neck.

My stomach roiled as her eyes went wide and her body collapsed to the ground. It was the action that ignited the crowd. Multiple fights broke out, people pushing, punching, and wrestling each other to the ground.

Lukas was shaking, threading his fingers through the long blades of glass. An occasional tremor rocked his entire body, making it look like he was having a seizure. “You can do this,” I pleaded. “Just breathe. Concentrate on something peaceful. Concentrate on me—”

“You?” He gave a twisted chortle. “You’re the cause of this. The reason I get so worked up.”

“I—”

He stood, and I did the same. Advancing a step, posture nothing short of menacing, he growled. “You will never learn. This is me. Who I am. Who I will always be. Violent, angry, and dangerous.”

My heart hammered, and the air caught in my throat, but I held my ground. “No. You’re more than that. Stronger than the anger. I’ve seen it.” I reached out again, taking his hand in mine. “I’ve seen an amazing light—”

He jerked away. “You’re a fool. A stupid, clueless fool.” He advanced another step. “If you knew a fraction of what was going on behind the scenes, you would run and never look back. You would leave and pray for your life in the shelter of light.”

Logic told me to be afraid—and I was—but his words also made me cringe. There’d been multiple hints dropped, enough clues accidentally slipped, to make me suspicious to begin with. But this? This was bone chilling. “What is that supposed to mean?”

He laughed. A venom-filled chuckle that, for the first time since we’d met, made me genuinely scared. “And there you go again. Question, question, question. Except you never ask the right ones.”