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.

dodos look real dangerous,” he says, and I lean forward and peer out the window seeing the biggest of my flock flying up high in the

screech before the wind, as loud as a hurricane, blows past the windows as he fl***ps his giant wings outside the window

saying?”

his wings a few times, hovering in the same spot for a few

you can come. But

door opens and Tobias and Lycus hop out. Lycus is covered in bite marks, and it was obvious

going on?”

stalking toward the closet to retrieve his clothes. Tobias

the portals. I had hardly any magic when I left, but Tobias was staying

fiercely, and the longer we were cleaning out the grocery stores of mince, rice, and spam, the

tempted to stick my head in one of the freezers just to cool down when a set of arms wrapped around my waist. I peer over my shoulder, his bare skin offering relief, and I lean back into him when it washed

in my ear, making me look down. That explains why I feel so hot then.

to get out of here,” Darius calls to him. Kalen

We need to get her home before

at

from somewhere at the front of the store. Kalen doesn’t 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

be fine,” Kalen tells me when I see a hooded figure walk across the aisle we

shove Kalen through the portal, shutting it,

I race past the middle aisle, a hand reaches out and 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 cutting out

“Aleera,” she breathes.

ask, staring at a woman I thought was dead

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

was too shocked at actually seeing with

seeker,” my mother tells me, and I

arm. She glances around nervously. I look at her hand on my wrist as she

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

distracted,” she says, but I pull out of her

“I tell her, and she

her head. “I knew they got in your head Aleera didn’t think you would be silly enough to

me,” I tell

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

knowing that was the name of my mother’s

few times over the years, you know how Phoenixes are with Dark Fae, he always turned on me eventually, and we had to kill him, but then he went missing and I saw

Phoenix, Ryze?” I ask

her Ryze?” she asks and I nod

daughter, she was unbonded,” my mother tells me.

Spark, Sweetie. My Spark,

followed me. He still recognized me, just not my magic, he went missing