Free The Darkness Within by Jaime Rush

off a part of it, it takes time to regenerate it.”
    Tucker smacked him on the side of his head. “I can handle the demo.”
    Darius reared up in an instinctive response. Even though he was in a wheelchair, he looked every bit as dangerous as Tucker. Which made her wonder: could he walk while in Darkness?
    Tucker met his gaze, daring him. A few tense moments passed. Darius’s shoulders relaxed, and he turned away first.
    Tucker held his ground for a few seconds longer, and then turned to Shea. He kept Darius in sight, though. “Shea, order a round of pizzas.”
    “Please,” she said, with a tilt of her head.
    He chucked her on the chin. “Please, doll.”
    The endearment prickled through Del, as much as the obvious affection Shea felt for him did.
    When Shea turned to go into the kitchen, Greer said to her, “You’d lay me flat if I called you something like that.”
    Shea paused in the doorway, her fingers tightening on the frame. “It’s different with Tuck.”
    Mm, there were some interesting dynamics going on here, ones Del wasn’t entirely comfortable with. Not that she was comfortable with any of this, or these people. And that especially included Tucker.

Chapter Nine
     
    “W HAT DID YOU do to my daughter?” Carrie had been screaming that ever since the car had lurched away twenty minutes ago. She’d heard car doors opening, closing . . . engines racing off . . . glass smashing. She was insane with worry. Now the car had stopped, and a garage door closed.
    He opened the trunk, and the question scratched out of her hoarse throat again.
    “I tried to bring her to the party, but she obviously inherited your skill for telekinesis. She escaped, helped by her boyfriend.”
    Carrie wilted in relief, barely fighting him when he carried her from the garage, through the kitchen, and to a back bedroom.
    She knew there was no point in trying to escape. Not with him. If she cooperated, maybe he’d grant her one request: leave her daughter alone.
    Carrie watched Elgin stalk around the bed where he tied her. It wasn’t the same house they’d shared all those years ago. From what little she’d seen of it, it was tidy and neutral.
    He sat on the edge of the bed, hovering over her. “Torus ordered me to kill you when you ran off. But I didn’t.”
    “No, you killed the man I loved,” she hissed.
    He slapped her, the sting setting the side of her face on fire. “You are my wife. You belong with me, with our people. But you left us all, breaking the rules you promised to obey when you came here. It was my job to find you, and when I did, I saw you with him . Darkness took over. You brought on his death. You murdered him as much I did.”
    She closed her eyes and rolled her head to the side. Yes, she had.
    He pinched her chin and forced her to look at him. “I let you live, Nikkita. Or is it Carrie now? Do you like that name better?” His voice was a taunt. “Did that separate you more from what you are? You pretty fool. When you ran that night, I let you go. I told Torus I’d killed you, stashed your body. If I’d known you were pregnant . . .”
    The mention of Del shot fear into her. “Don’t hurt her. She has nothing to do with this. I left you. I betrayed you; at least that’s how you see it. So punish me, not her.”
    He sat back, as though considering her words. “Who was the man with her?”
    Had she heard Del right? “I couldn’t see who was with her. I was in the trunk, if you’ll recall.”
    “Your daughter came to rescue you, brave little thing. She tried to run me down. You must be very proud.”
    She was, dammit—proud and scared for her reckless daughter.
    “You know who she would ask for help.” He leaned closer, his voice low and harsh. “He had my eyes. My looks. Come on, Nik. Don’t tell me you have no idea who that kid was.”
    “He’s your son; at least I figured he was. But you already know that.”
    He gripped her face again, leaning so close she could feel his