Free Darkest Before Dawn by Pippa DaCosta Page B

down the line. For a second, I thought he’d hung up.
    “Muse.” He said my name slowly, as though savoring it. I heard humor in his voice and something else, something rich and heady like hunger. I shivered and heard his audible intake of breath. “Why do you have Ryder’s cell?” The hunger had gone. His voice was flat. Cold. Controlled.
    “We need to talk.”
    “I’ve said everything I need to say.”
    “Then shut up, and let me talk.” I tapped my nails on the counter. “I just—”
    “Where’s Ryder?”
    “At the Institute probably.”
    Stefan muttered a curse. “Why do you have his cell?”
    “He helped me ditch the Institute.”
    “Why do you need to ditch them?”
    “Can we talk?”
    “What are we doing now?”
    “This isn’t talking,” I grumbled. “It’s an interrogation.”
    “What do you think is going to happen, Muse? That you’re going to explain what you did and everything will go back to the way it was before?” The demon slur crept into his words, deepening his voice with a touch of power. “Nothing you can say will change the past. If you need someone to talk to, why don’t you run back to Akil? I’m sure he’ll welcome you with open arms.”
    “Stefan.” I swallowed back the urge to scream at him. “I get that you’re grieving, okay. But this isn’t my fault.”
    He barked a laugh. “You’re joking, right?”
    I curled my fingers into my palm and clenched my hand into a fist. “What happened to us? I thought...” I drew in a deep breath. “I never wanted to hurt you.”
    “Then we’re even. Get over it. Don’t call me again.”
    “Stefan, wait. Can we meet? Please.”
    He fell quiet. I listened hard. Had he hung up?
    “You know where I am. You’ve always known.” He ended the call.
    I threw the phone onto the counter and planted my hands either side of it. Goosebumps sprinkled up my arms. A trickle of power bloomed inside me, responding to the sudden chill in the air.
    Of course I knew where he was. I’d always suspected he’d be at the lake house, tucked away in the White Mountains a few hours drive north of Boston. I should have gone to him. I told myself I’d give him time. It had been two months. But time wasn’t going to change anything. I knew that now. The longer this went on, the further apart we’d drift.
    I straightened and glanced down the hall. Dawn was chatting to her bunny somewhere. I could hear her delicate, one-sided conversation.
    I didn’t want her to see how jaded Stefan was. She needed time away from demons to start building a life. I wasn’t even sure Stefan would help her. For me, he wouldn’t. Ryder would turn her over to the Institute. He’d made that clear. Akil had abandoned her with me. I was her only chance at freedom, and I would have to help her alone. I needed more information. Carol-Anne was the key. Someone at her club must know about Dawn. Tomorrow, I was going back to Boston.

Chapter Ten
    “ D on’t open the door for anyone. Don’t go outside. Don’t worry if I’m not back by the time it gets dark. I’ve left some games out for you. Don’t stick your fingers in any sockets.” I stood at the door, car keys in hand. Dawn had nodded dutifully to everything I’d said, but to be sure, I repeated, “Don’t go outside.” As long as she stayed inside, Val or any other higher demon couldn’t get to her.
    “I won’t. Promise.” She grinned. “Cross my heart, and hope to die. Bake a demon in a pie.”
    Good girl. She was learning.
    I left her alone at Blackstone and felt the first inkling of what it might be like to be a parent. The worry. Dawn seemed so small and the world so intent on harming her. I didn’t know a damned thing about bringing up kids. It’s not something I’d ever thought about. As far as I knew, I couldn’t have kids. Being half demon wrecked the necessary plumbing. But when I left Dawn all alone at Blackstone, the concern nearly had me turning around again and abandoning my visit to