Darker Days (The Darker Agency #1)(61)

“We looked everywhere,” Lukas insisted. I wanted to laugh. I’d looked everywhere. He’d just kind of followed along telling me what a waste of time it was.

“There’s a chamber beneath the church. The box rests there.”

Hidden compartment. I knew it!

A flash of light burst from the ground beneath Simon’s feet.

“Time is short, Jessie girl,” Paulson whispered.

Crap. We needed to hurry. “The Wells family. What do you know about them?”

His face instantly darkened. “There is no Wells family. Only that murdering whore, Meredith.”

“You knew it was her?”

“Not at first.” He turned to Lukas. “I’m sorry about what happened, son. By the time I discovered the truth, it was too late. And unfortunately there’s no way to free yourself. She killed off her entire line, and when I tracked her down, I trapped her.”

“You trapped her? How did you trap her?”

“I had a witch friend who owed me a favor. Lorna Belfair. Together, we trapped Meredith Wells for all eternity. She was put into a deep, magic-based sleep and we buried her in hallowed ground.”

Belfair? Huh. That would explain why Cassidy lied to Mom. Her line had history with Meredith. If she thought the other witch was still trapped, of course she’d never tell us where to find her.

“Buried? As in, you buried her alive?” My stomach convulsed. Just the thought made my blood run cold. Sure, she was a murderous, unhinged bitch, but no one deserved that.

“She wasn’t awake. She didn’t feel a thing.”

“Well, she’s awake now. And let me tell you, she’s pretty damn pissed.” And if it was Simon that trapped her, boyfriend envy wasn’t the only thing she had against me. No wonder she seemed to hate the Darkers.

I didn’t think it was possible for a ghost to pale, but Simon proved me wrong. “You and your mother are in grave danger. She will stop at nothing to get her revenge. She—” At his feet, another spark of white. “How did it happen?”

I rolled my eyes. “Sorry—no clue. I haven’t gotten the chance to chat with her about it over a latte.”

Paulson sighed. Expression sad, he said, “I can’t keep you here any longer, Mr. Darker. Your time is up.”

Another flash. Simon flickered. “You can help Lukas, but you can’t—alone—need help. Talk to V—”

And with a final, brilliant flash, he was gone.

…

“We need to talk.”

Every time someone said that lately, my skin started to crawl. Kind of like when someone yelled fire. You just knew the shit was about to hit the fan.

Lukas had been too quiet on the way back from Paulson’s. I’d suggested taking the bus, but he wanted to walk. Really see the town. We’d gotten back to the office to find it empty—Mom and Dad were still out searching for Sins, I guessed.

He settled on the couch without bothering to flip the lights on, waiting for me to sit across from him. “It’s over, Jessie. We tried, but—”

I laughed him off. “Haven’t you been paying attention? I’m stubborn. It’s not over ’til it’s over.” It was one of Mom’s favorite sayings—and I’d always hated it. Yet at that moment, it was all I could think of, and really, it was perfect. A true blue mantra for the stubborn.

His expression didn’t change. “It’s over,” he repeated. “I’ve been in the box for 147 years. You don’t know what it’s like—but I do. I won’t condemn someone else to that.”

“I told you, we’ll find another way. Simon said there was someone out there who could help.”

He shook his head and stood. Stepping forward, he settled on the cushion next to me. “There is no other way. My only salvation would be to damn someone else. If I do that, then I truly am evil.”

“There are plenty of bad people out there. You don’t know what it’s like—but I do,” I repeated his words with a bit of bite. “Monsters that prey on little girls. Men who butcher their wives. Women who kill their own kids—take your pick. They’re evil. Not you.”

Again, he shook his head.

“I don’t understand. Last night you said—I thought we—” I couldn’t finish. Everything I’d said to Mom that morning was forgotten. Now, all I wanted was to find a way to keep him here. With me.

This was why I had rules. Unbreakable and set for my own sanity rules. I’d crossed the line—big time—and now, I’d have to pay the price. Lukas Scott had pulled me down hard. Was this how Mom felt when she had to say goodbye to Dad? Like the air was too thin, and the ground was going to split open and gobble her up?

“I want to stay. I never imagined meeting anyone like you, and now that I have, do you really think I want to leave?” He tilted my head up, and I fought a shiver. His fingers skimmed along the lines of my jaw, thumb tracing the outline of my bottom lip. It was like heaven. And hell. Things I’d never imagined—feelings I didn’t know could exist—all surged through me. Feelings like this could save a person.

Or ruin them.

“Lukas…”

He shook his head. “Meredith did me a favor. I would have never been happy in my time. I wasn’t meant to be there. When I was trapped the first time, I had nothing to hold on to but rage and thoughts of revenge. This time will be different. Easier. I’ll have your memory to keep me grounded. You’ll be my serenity.”