Tasting Darkness

Read Tasting Darkness [Tempting Darkness] By Jessica Hall Book 2 Chapter 34 – Aleera POV

I almost stumbled back as the full realization of what I had just said hit me. I understood it, but knowing it and believing it were two different things. One does not want to believe they were raised by monsters. Because if they were monsters, what would they make me?

My mother? She’d been the source of everything that had terrorized us for so long, or was I missing some vital piece of information. I had uncovered so many secrets, yet not nearly enough to have a clear picture.

She’d been the one that had ruined everything for us before we even got to begin yet no matter what something felt off. Too many secrets and too many lies. I wondered when It would come full circle, when the lies would pile too high and it would break down the walls and spill only truth.

“No,” Darius whispered. He shook his head. There was no hesitation in him.” Don’t blame yourself, Aleera. You couldn’t have known,” Darius tells me, feeling my tumultuous guilt. Darius opens up a portal leading back to our room. Reluctantly I step through it to find Kalen getting dressed.

“I was wondering where you two went,” he says; I swallowed, picking up on Darius ‘nervousness behind me.

“Everything okay?” Kalen asks me, and I nod, moving toward Ryze, where he is perched on the windowsill. I scratch his tummy feathers.

“Where are you going?” Darius asks Kalen.

Kalen seemed to be in a very excitable mood today. I couldn’t help but notice the change through the bond.

“Into town, we need more Phoenix food,”

“Not by yourself, you’re not,” Darius tells him. Kalen smiles at him as he does up his shoelace.

“With you and Aleera, of course,” he says, tying the other shoelace.

“I am not sure about Aleera going into town, Kalen, maybe you both stay here, and I will go. It is safer that way,” Darius says.

“Safer by yourself? Have you forgotten what she is? The safest place is beside her, and god help you if you are against her,” Kalen chuckles, and I smirk.

“Really?” Darius says, eyeing me c***kily.

“Yep, if she wants to, she would cook your a*s, and you know it,” Kalen says, nudging him. I fold my arms and stare at him.

“Hear that your a*s is toast,” I tell him. Darius chuckles, shaking his head.

“Don’t get too c**ky. Everything you have done is ruled by emotion. You may have infinite power, Aleera, but that doesn’t mean you know how to use it,” I roll my eyes at him, turning back to Ryze.

“I know how to do one thing,” I tell him.” And what is that?” Darius whispers, making me jump when I find he is suddenly behind me.

“I can control the phoenixes. If I can’t fry vou they will for me.” Darius laughs and

you, they will for me,” Darius laughs and looks down at the crates of birds.

lean forward and peer out the

a hurricane, blows past the windows as he fl***ps his giant wings

were saying?” I ask

oversized flaming pigeons,” he laughs, shooing my phoenix away. He fl***ps his wings a few times, hovering in the same spot for

can come. But stick

tells me just as the bathroom door opens and Tobias and Lycus hop out. Lycus is

going

groans, stalking toward the closet to retrieve his clothes. Tobias kisses my cheek as he passes me,

was on edge when we headed into town for the first twenty minutes. We didn’t bother with the car this time, instead taking backpacks and using the portals. I had hardly any magic when I left, but

and the longer we were cleaning out the grocery stores

of arms wrapped around my waist. I peer

making me look down. That explains why I feel so hot then. Yet could it have worse timing? This couldn’t have

to get out of here,” Darius calls to him. Kalen looks up from the shelf he

shred soon. We need to get her home before any

He looks down at my ruined pants. Why

hesitate, tossing his hands up and opening a portal before shoving me toward it. Panicked, I look toward the front as Kalen tries to push

tells me when I see a hooded figure walk across the aisle we were

we were just in. Cursing, I shove Kalen through the portal, shutting

grabs me. I toss up my hands, blasting them with power, but it bounces off the shield and smashes into the roof, blowing a hole in the ceiling and

“Aleera,” she breathes.

staring at a woman I thought was dead all

knew it had to be you when Waylen picked up on your magic. He said it flared off like a beacon, so strong, so beautiful,” she whispers, cupping my face in her hands. I push her hands away, and she glances down the aisle behind her. I was in too much shock to do anything other than stare at her. I knew I should probably be

I was too shocked at

my mother tells

arm. She glances around nervously. I look at her hand on my wrist as she tugs me toward the back of the store. I hear fighting

as soon as they said there was a Harmony-Fae. We couldn’t leave them there in his hands; I just got lucky that

have to go, quick while Darius is distracted,” she says, but I

her, and

knew they got in your head Aleera didn’t

and dad tried to kill me,” I tell

cloaking spells on you. Not even Spark could find you, we used to follow him and hope he would pick up on your magic when

ask knowing that was the name of my mother’s phoenix. She

kill him, but then he went missing and I saw him protecting you, we figured he

my Phoenix, Ryze?” I ask

her Ryze?” she

Phoenix, Ryze is Spark’s daughter, she was unbonded,” my mother tells me. Wait,

that is Spark, Sweetie.

times and they weren’t good times, but he always followed me. He still recognized me, just