Darkness glared at the both of them for a long moment before turning to me. “Leave us.”

Chapter

Twenty-Three

After they’d left, Darkness sat down beside me. He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and pulled me closer. “Tell me what happened.”

I told him everything from the moment he’d left the house until the minute he got back in vivid detail. He stared at the wall as I told him about meeting his sister.

“She’s well then?” Darkness asked.

I nodded. “She seemed very happy.”

“So, you’ve truly accepted who you are?” Darkness asked.

“Nightmare and Storm seem to think I have, but like I didn’t declare anything out loud or even to myself,” I replied with a sigh. “I don’t really know what I should do. If I accept, does that mean I will never see my aunt again?”

Darkness kissed the top of my head as his fingers lightly caressed my shoulder. “I honestly don’t know what would happen. This is the first time in my existence of someone being reborn like this.”

“What about you?” I asked, my voice trembling with uncertainty. I was afraid to hear the answer.

Darkness tilted his head, his gaze locking onto mine. “What exactly are you asking me?”

“Your life before the Between… did you ever go back to it?” I pressed reluctantly.

Darkness shook his head, the depth of sorrow filling his eyes. “I never sought to return. There was nothing left for me in that world. I believe that has been the case for all of us here.”

“I won’t leave my aunt all alone.”

“Not even to save the entire world? Including her life?” Darkness asked with an arched brow.

I met his eyes. “She is my world.”

“Well,” Darkness said, getting to his feet. “I suppose I should have the other artifacts collected. There is a lot of work that must be done.”

“Who has them?” I asked.

“They are locked in a safe place with my brother, Honor.”

I folded my hands together. “Of course they are.”

“What do we do once they are all together?” I asked, with a quick breath as I stood in front of him. “It’ll just stop? Won’t having them all in the same place be risky?”

“Hm,” Darkness said, tapping his finger to his chin. “Perhaps. Or maybe they will all bind to you in the same way the medallion has.”

I frowned as my eyes shifted to the medallion. “I don’t think I should have them all. Are we even ready for all this?”

“We have no choice but to be ready.”

“Maybe you need more rest. Nightmare and Storm too.”

Darkness nodded. “Yes. Possible.”

“I wish we had a better idea of how to stop the war,” I said, my shoulders dropping as if weights had been placed on top of them.

“I’ll let everyone know to rest up, and then we will attempt getting the artifacts together like The Oracle envisioned,” Darkness said, shaking his head. “I think we must try. I will introduce you to my brother, Honor.”

I sighed. “Okay.”

Darkness took a step toward me, placing his thumb under my chin to raise my head. I looked into his suddenly glowing eyes.

“I have an idea for rest,” he said, grinning.

My heart thudded as electricity ripped through my body. “I bet you do.”

“Mmm, yes, I do,” Darkness said, his voice deep and filled with desire.

My pulse quickened as he pressed his body against mine until my back was against the living room wall. The coolness of his skin seeped through my clothes, sending a pleasant shiver down my spine.

Darkness’s woodsy masculine scent surrounded me, causing my head to feel light. I lazily trailed my fingertips down his muscular arms, keeping my eyes locked with his.

He leaned in, caressing my lips with his. It was seductively soft and gentle, but his need quickly deepened the kiss. The intense desire warmed my insides as though a fire were building deep within me.

“Do you know how much I need you?” he asked as he lifted me off the ground, pinning me between him and the wall. I wrapped my legs around his hips as his lips moved down my neck, hungrily exploring my exposed skin.

“No,” I replied breathlessly.

His hands moved with urgency over my body. He slid a hand to my neck, wrapping his fingers around as his mouth found mine.

Darkness’s hand slid down, raising my shirt over my breasts. He traced delicate circles around my nipples as he rolled his hips.

“More than anything else. I need you to survive. You are my oxygen,” Darkness whispered, his eyes on me as I gasped with pleasure under his touch.

His head tilted slightly as he moved his hand down my stomach, popping open the button of my pants. Our tongues danced as he slipped a finger inside of me.

My head tipped back slightly, pressing against the wall as a moan escaped from between my lips. Each breath came fast as he increased the tempo of his movements.

“Oh, Darkness,” I cried as my fingers dug into his shoulders. It was hard to hold myself together with him. It was like he had complete control over my body and knew exactly where and when to touch me.

He lifted me away from the wall, carrying me to the middle of the floor. Darkness lowered me with ease onto a rug as the fireplace magically roared to life. Candles on the mantle and around the house were lit one by one.

Darkness grabbed the waistband of my pants and yanked them off with one quick movement. On his knees, he reached for my shirt, raising it over my head with one hand as the other unhooked my bra.

“I want to see you,” he whispered.

I felt intoxicated as I smiled back. “I want to see you too.”

Darkness sensually removed his clothes with languid grace as I pulled off my bra, carelessly flinging it to the side. He was a living masterpiece, perfect in every way.