Tasting Darkness

Read Taming Darkness By Jessica Hall Book 3 Chapter 37 - Sof the braver ones even dared to attack me, but a few of my feathers stopped those thoughts. Once my mother didn’t appear, and realized she was dead, the power hunters were overcwith fear and tried to escape.

The Harmony-Fae weren't about to let that happen. They tore them to shreds with their own magic.

My mates were getting closer. | could feel Darius’ magic hovering in the air, the darkness of it called toto bring back the shadows | had grown to love. | needed them, to see them, touch them, just be with them.

As | rounded the side of the house and my heart sk*pped a beat. There they all were.

One of the hunters ran away from the Harmony-Fae and tried their luck with attacking Darius from the back.

Lycus grabbed him with one hand and with his hands turned to claws, he ripped into the man, shredding or*ans and pulling him apart.

Kalen was holding his own, a newfound sense of purpose hovering over him as he flanked Tobias.

Most of the power hunters were dead, their bodies ripped to shreds, or smoking piles of ash until none were left.

If anyone did get out, it wouldn't be for long. The council would track them down and each would be punished for their crimes.

The moment Darius turned and saw me, | leaped into his arms, almost knocking him over. Kalen and Tobias huddled close, and the cracking of bones letknow that Lycus had shifted back as he joined us.

Kalen'’s voice was cracked, his deep emotions swirling almost out of control. “You never left,” he whispered. | peppered his face with kisses.

| looked into his eyes. “I made you a promise, Kalen, and you knew I'd never break it.” The council had shown up within minutes of the battle ending, surveying the aftermath after we'd taken care of most of the danger. Many of them stared in open-faced shock at the sheer number of Harmony-Faes that existed.

“Wait, | need to give them something,” | told my mates before digging into my pocket and pulling out the vials that revealed how evil my mother truly was.

Darius’ brows furrowed as he studied them. It took him a second, but recognition sparked, and his eyes widened before he stared at me. “You were always the cure! | didn’t destroy it.” he gasped.

I nodded and handed the vials over. It was finally over, and now | was going to be able to enjoy my mates and raise our children without fear of that unhinged woman ever crossing us again.

When we were finished | looked at the old house which was an exact replica of the house | grew up in. A house that should no longer exist. So | waited for them to finish retrieving what the council wanted from there, and when the last elder cout he stopped walking over to us.

The man’s energy felt familiar as he drew closer, his facial features were ones | had witnessed before in my mate’s memories, Tobias’s to be exact. The man stopped in front ofbefore looking at his son.

In Tobias’s memories, this man was proud, so angry, and felt so much bigger than he did now.

Instead of the fear I felt in Tobias’s memories, | only felt pity for him.”You found her,” he says, eyeingcuriously.

Tobias says nothing, just drapes his arm across my shoulders and tuckcloser. “Are you finished inside?” Tobias asks, not even acknowledging his father’s question.

His father nods and Tobias starts to tugaway when his father speaks again.

“That's it?” he calls after his son. Tobias keeps walking and as we step past Darius | see he is glaring at the man with so much hatred | knew he wanted to kill him. “You could have been King.” Tobias stops. “You are the next heir to the throne in the Vamperic-Kingdom.” “I don’t care for any throne, father. And neither did Thomas,” “Now you have her, you could retake your place.

Becthe King you're supposed to be.” “He’ll never learn,” Tobias mutters. “Does family really mean nothing to you?” Tobias laughs and stops, turning to look at his father. “Family means everything to me, you're just no longer a part of mine.” His father actually has the audacity to appear hurt by what his son said.

“You're my flesh and blood. You're a f**king Kade,” “Wrong! | am a Wraith, so shove your nup your *ss, dad.

You had your chance to make up for the past. | don’t need or want your apologizes, and | certainly don’t need your forgiveness for choosing them over you.” Tobias snapped at his father.

“But you rang me, you calledhere!” “Because you're part of the council, not part of my life! Nor will you be part of theirs!”. Tobias says, his hand dropping to my stomach. His father blinks at me, his eyes darting to his son’s hand on my stomach.

Without another word, Tobias turnsto face the house, and | look up at him, “Are you okay?” he nods, kissing my temple.” Yeah, | just want to go home,” he tells me, and | see Darius grip his shoulder.

“Thank you for not killing him,” Tobias nods to him. “Don’t temptbecause | want to,” Darius mumbles, looking up at the house. I lift my hand, letting a fireball dance on my palm and looking at my house. After a second, | toss it, setting the house ablaze while Kalen opens up a portal.

We watch it burn for a few seconds, and | see my Phoenixes start flying hto Astrid.

“Let go home,” | whisper, giving the house one last glance before stepping through the portal after Lycus.