Autumn Storm (The Witchling #2)(46)

His push brought her fresh pain the in the form of a headache. He stopped and soothed it.

“You shouldn’t do that,” he told her firmly. “You can’t face what I am.”

At least she had the sense to fear the Darkness. Decker opened his eyes and took in the flush on her face. Her pupils were dilated and her breathing growing more irregular. She was fighting the pull of his magick. He’d made every effort to restrain it before appearing on the driveway, but she couldn’t resist it when it was flowing through her.

“You have about five seconds until you’re mine,” he warned her.

Her eyes flared with desire but also awareness. Autumn lowered her hands from his face and took a step back. Her body was trembling, as much from exertion as his magick.

At once, the cacophony of voices and spirits of others flooded his mind. For a long moment, he wasn’t able to focus beyond it. He struggled to conquer the insanity in his mind. Bartholomew was one of the voices yelling, but his words were too loud to make out. Decker drew a deep breath and forced his attention outward. It was growing harder to exist in the outside world.

Autumn’s concerned blue eyes arrested him, tugging him out of his mind.

“I’m sorry,” she said.

“Don’t be,” he replied. He studied her, unable to determine how she’d accessed the depth of magick she’d need to block him.

She deceives you, Bartholomew told him, his words piercing through the noise. Did I not warn you?

There was no deception or malice in Autumn’s gaze. Then again, Decker wasn’t able to see the rest of her mind. He’d never been able to read her soul, and he was suddenly wary of the girl who withheld so much and had such control over him with her touch.

That was Bartholomew’s thought, he told himself. He knew how sweet the girl before him was. If he had another chance, it’d be with her. He hadn’t been joking, and she’d made a deal with him without understanding it’d cost her everything – mind, body, soul – if he did take that step.

You betray Summer and endanger Autumn if you do, Bartholomew reminded him.

Guilt swept through Decker. He’d already promised himself to Summer and now, to Darkness. There was no room for Autumn, and he’d never do anything to place her in danger.

“Thank you for walking with me,” she said at the long silence. “I’m not sure I would’ve made it otherwise.” The words were hard for her to say, and her gaze dropped to his chest as she said them.

“Yes, you would’ve,” he disagreed. “I know that the same way I know you’ll run again one day, too.”

She cleared her throat and looked at her feet. He saw the smile on her face. He hadn’t seen this unguarded expression before. She was happy.

He almost felt good.

The Darkness didn’t like it. It was at the edge of his mind, ready to claim him. Dusk had fallen as they stood talking. It was time for him to prepare for his nightly hunt anyway. More souls went bad in the middle of the night than any other time.

“I’ve gotta go,” he said, moving towards the forest.

“Good night, Decker,” she called after him.

He didn’t respond. The minute he set foot in the forest, Bartholomew began railing on him for talking to her at all. Decker gripped his head. He made it back to his dorm room before the Darkness took over.

This time, it kept his body for the longest time yet. He sank into the comfortable nothingness of his mind, unaware of time or emotions or pain.

When it released him, he was in his bed sometime the next afternoon. His phone was ringing. He heard it without knowing where it was. Darkness released memories into his mind, gleefully sharing with him the slaughter from the night.

He pushed himself up, half-interested in how many had been killed. He grabbed at the clothing slung across the bottom of his bed to find the phone.

Fifteen souls, all Dark.

Decker paused. It was more than he expected, but not yet enough, or he wouldn’t have left the safe place in his mind. Another day, another chance he saw Autumn again, even when he wasn’t sure he wanted to. The guilt of wanting to see her made him feel worse than anything he’d done.

Soon it will claim you, Bartholomew promised.

His phone started ringing again. Decker dug through his jacket and pulled it free. Beck was calling. Decker rejected it. His twin had called half a dozen times and also sent a text.

You were supposed to back off my “blondie” said the text.

Decker suspected his brother hadn’t left her unguarded while running off to screw his latest blond girlfriend. Someone dimed him out. He wanted to tell Beck to go to hell, that he’d claim Autumn if he wanted.

Some part of him knew he’d made the deal with Beck for the same reason he’d agreed to walk away from Autumn after their kiss. He was bad news for her. What happened if the Darkness finally consumed him when he was around her?

As long as Beck wasn’t after her, Decker was able to compromise with his own desire. After all, he didn’t have much longer. When he was gone, Beck could have her. He just couldn’t live with seeing her with Beck now.

Won’t happen again. He texted back to his twin.

Beck’s response was quick. Don’t come Thursday or our deal is off, and she’s mine.

He made the decision easy for Decker. Pissed and determined to put Beck in his place Thursday, Decker tossed the phone onto his jacket and strode to the bathroom. He smelled of sex and didn’t like it.