As soon as the words left her mouth she regretted it.
“Oh?” Darrak said. “And when exactly did Lucas tell you this?”
She remembered her recent promise to tell Darrak the truth and not to keep anything back. Time to hold true to that. “When I touched the marble earlier, I saw him, but he sent me back so fast you never realized I was gone.”
There was silence in the car for a moment.
“Well, that was convenient, wasn’t it?” His gaze fell to her amulet. “Same color as before. Guess there wasn’t any tonsil hockey going on this time, was there?”
She looked at him sharply. “Sorry to disappoint.”
“What do you think would happen if you slept with him? Might suck the evil completely out of you.”
“Darrak, don’t go there.” Her tone held an edge of warning.
“I guess I understand the ‘let’s wait’ reply to my question now. Got to keep your options open in case a better offer comes in.”
“I swear to God, Darrak, stop it.”
He eyed her. “You swear to God? Why? Are you dating him, too?”
Anger rose in her throat, but she swallowed it down. “I know I hurt you—”
“You didn’t hurt me.” He waved a hand flippantly. “Just helped to put things back into perspective. I should thank you. Lesson learned.”
“Oh, what lesson is that?”
He hissed out a breath. “I don’t want to talk about this.” “That makes two of us.”
He turned his attention to the roadside swiftly moving past them. “Maybe if I wasn’t so connected to you, I’d be able to gather my balls back together and be less of an emotional basket case.” He snorted. “It’s funny, actually. I keep blaming myself for everything I’ve done to you — made you part evil, ruined your life, destroyed your immortal soul… I keep forgetting just how much you’ve messed me up in return.”
That hurt, but she couldn’t say he was wrong. Tears burned in her eyes, and she gave him a sideways glance as they pulled into the parking lot.
“Then I guess we’re even, aren’t we?”
He didn’t look directly at her. “Guess so.”
“So you hate me now, is that it?”
Darrak was silent for a moment before he laughed out loud. “I don’t hate you, Eden. I love you. But I get that that emotion isn’t returned in full. Let’s just forget about it and go deal with werewolf boy.”
He got out of the car, slammed the door behind him, and started walking to the front door of Triple-A.
Damn it. She so didn’t need this right now. Any of it.
If she had one wish at this very moment, she’d wish that she wasn’t bound to Darrak. At all. She needed her freedom, her space, her privacy.
She’d never asked for any of this to begin with. Who the hell would?
Darrak had given her unwanted black magic that put her soul at risk. He’d taken away any possibility for privacy. He was frustrating and vain and self-involved.
He was also funny and sexy and fiercely protective of her. She enjoyed his company. He challenged her, made her laugh, drove her crazy with desire. He was truly the best man she’d ever known. One she knew she could trust her secrets to.
And maybe her heart, too.
Something continued to hold her back. There were too many problems, obstacles, and challenges. How could she possibly allow herself to fall for him completely when they had so many issues to deal with on a daily basis?
She honestly had no idea. But right now she had to deal with Andy.
Eden marched into the office. Andy sat behind his desk looking oddly serene.
“Everything okay?” she asked.
Andy eyed the clock. “You know, the last time I checked, you still worked here. I know you’re not my employee, but we’re partners, right?”
“Right. Of course.”
“And I bought you that BlackBerry so we could stay in touch. I’ve been texting you all afternoon and I haven’t heard back from you once.”
“Oh, right. The BlackBerry.” She bit her bottom lip.
“Eden destroyed that,” Darrak said. He leaned against the wall right next to the glass door surveying the small office space. “Her black magic made it go boom.”
“When was this?” Andy’s voice went a bit pitchy.
“Yesterday morning. Didn’t she mention that to you? Not surprised about that. She likes to keep things to herself.”
Andy’s brows knitted together. “I sense that you two aren’t exactly in a good mood. What’s the problem?”
“We’re fine,” Eden said, with a pointed look at Darrak. “Aren’t we?”
“Stellar.” He shrugged and focused on Andy, his expression now turning concerned. “Forget about us. How are you feeling right now?”
“Me?” Andy pointed at himself. “I’m fine. I feel fantastic, actually.”
“You would. Lycanthropy usually brings with it a renewed life force, kind of like a sip from the fountain of youth.”
Andy’s jaw tensed. “I hope this evening will prove to the two of you once and for all that you’re wrong about me.”
Even though his words were firm, there was now a sharp edge of worry that slid behind his eyes. They were close now. That had to be scary when he didn’t know what to expect.
“It’s going to be okay, really. The moment I sense that you’re changing”—Eden held up her hands at his immediate bristle—“if that happens, of course, Darrak and I will leave, and I’ll read the spell from out in the parking lot.” She glanced over her shoulder at the sunset. “We don’t have too long to wait.”
“Great.” Andy stood up and began to pace. “This just… it feels wrong. It’s not going to happen. I can make the choice not to be a werewolf.”
Darrak shrugged. “You can try.”
Andy walked to the glass door and then back to his desk. Twice. “I’ll be fine.”
He was keeping up a good front, but Eden knew him well enough by now to see it was all fake. He was scared. He hadn’t mentioned much about the attack, but it had been bad. He’d been bloody, torn up, and if he’d been attacked by a regular wolf, there was no doubt that he would have died from his horrible injuries. As it was, they healed up quickly, leaving him with no scars.
There was no doubt in Eden’s mind what was going to happen after the sun went down. All she could do was try to be here for him and contain the situation.
Control it.
She smiled wryly as that word flitted through her head. Everything could be controlled with the right amount of will. And a little bit of magic didn’t hurt.
After all, she’d controlled the Malleus situation. Last time she’d been face-to-face with Ben, his boss Oliver Gale, and his new witchy girlfriend Sandy, Eden had unleashed her black magic as self-protection. It had practically killed them, and at the time, she hadn’t cared if she had.
It was as disturbing as it was empowering. She might still look like a nice girl, but underneath… she knew she wasn’t. Not anymore. Eden didn’t want to hurt anyone, but if they tried to hurt her first, what choice did she have?
Just the thought scared her. She pressed her hand over her amulet, feeling the cold stone surface like ice over her heart.
She sensed Darrak watching her and she looked at him, surprised to see the concern in his gaze.
“You okay?”
She nodded. “Yeah, I’m fine.”
Other than the flu still circling her like a vulture waiting to swoop in, and a tendency to latch onto black magic at the drop of a hat, she was fine. Sure she was.