Blood Beyond Darkness by Stacey Marie Brown Page A

choose their side. As much as I hated him right now, I also cared too much to let him be tortured. I was fated to kill the man I loved, and I knew what my choice would be when the moment came.
    “You will not tell him of the curse. I want all heads clear going into war.” Lars sat back in his chair, his shoulders tight around his neck.
    “You don’t want me to tell him he’s going to die?” The shrill voice didn’t sound like my own.
    “No.” Lars leaned back. “It will alter his outlook on the battle ahead. He will be impulsive and foolish. His dedication, knowing he will die, would be skewed.”
    I wasn’t particularly crazy about the idea of telling him. How do you tell someone he is doomed to die, anyway? But keeping it from him, from my Alpha, didn’t sit right either.
    “I bind your tongue, eyes, and hands against telling anyone.” I felt the weight of his spell come down on me, wrapping around my throat and tongue.
    “Why ... why did you do that?” My hand went to my already bruised neck.
    “I made the decision easier for you. You no longer have the option. You cannot feel guilty for something you are not able to do. Blame me for Elighan’s ignorance. We both know this choice is for the best. There is nothing you can do to change the realities, and Elighan knowing will not help.”
    Blistering rage rippled between my ribs. Lars was forcing my hand and taking away my choice. I hated it, but at the same time, I felt relieved the decision to tell him was no longer in my hands. Lars was right. It was probably better Eli didn’t know. I looked down as a single tear dropped from my eye.
    “I am sorry, Ember, but my decision is for the greater good.”
    My eyelids narrowed as I brought my head up. “I don’t give a fuck about what’s best right now. Don’t worry. I will do what I have to do, but don’t give me platitudes about the greater good!” I seethed. With a turn I propelled to the door. I grabbed the knob, yanked the door open, and slammed it behind me.
    I didn’t know what pissed me off more: the fact I felt like I had no choice in the matter, or I still wanted to choose the man who should disgust me.
    The world was in my hands? Yeah, good luck, Earth ...

EIGHT

     
    I stared out the windows into the darkening sky as I sat on my bed. Syrupy clouds dripped with rain, hiding all remnants of the moon and stars beyond. The pulse of my heart thumped quicker in my chest as the night crushed the walls in on me. I had been here too long doing nothing as my life passed by. My friend was lost somewhere out there. I understood searching for Kennedy at this moment was stupid. Lorcan had taken her far away from here by now. But I knew I could get to Ryan, Mark, and Lily. The need to finally hear my mother’s story dominated my thoughts.
    “I need you to take me to the Otherworld.” My knee bobbed up and down on my bed. “I want to see my family.”
    “She speaks.” Cal flew from the chandelier onto my shoulder.
    Simmons followed him, landing roughly on my bed.
    “Good girl. Now sit.” Cal pointed towards the bed.
    I looked down. My rear was already nestled on my bed.
    “Goooood girl.” Cal patted my cheek. “So obedient.”
    I flicked him off my shoulder, and he tumbled onto my comforter. “Bad, bad doggie.”
    “Cal, do not insult my lady.” Simmons hopped up on my leg, crossed his arms and tapped his foot on my thigh.
    “I’m serious. I need to go now. I need to talk to my mom, to see Mark and Ryan.”
    Cal padded over and climbed on my other leg. “Are you nuts, girlie? Okay, that is well proven, but are you crazy?”
    I frowned.
    “Lars will never let you leave here,” Cal exclaimed.
    Simmons nodded. “My lady, he is right.”
    “Lars doesn’t have to know.”
    “Right, because his ignorance has always worked out so well in the past.” Cal rolled his eyes.
    “What I mean is he doesn’t have to know till after I leave.” The need to go, to move, took all rational thought and