Free Darkness Unleashed by Belinda Boring Page A

heartbeat.”
    “ Then call them. Have them rush here,” I urged, my fingers figuratively crossing that with any luck, they were local.
    “ It’s a little more complicated than that.” A worried expression returned to Vivien’s features as she glanced first at Darcy’s muzzled face and then to Devlin.
    “ Who is it, Vivien? Do you think they’ll refuse?” Devlin asked, a sense of urgency in his questions.
    “ Oh, they would never refuse family.” Her response confused us both.
    “ Family?”
    Taking hold of Devlin’s hand and squeezing, Vivien smiled. “Yes, and they hold the magic we need to complete the spell.”
    “ You mean?” His whisper was barely audible.
    “ I know this will pain you, but we’re left with no other options considering how dire the situation is. It will require a blood sacrifice because the spell touches lightly on the taboo, but I see no other choice.”
    “ Can someone please explain?” I felt lost, like I’d been thrown into the middle of a movie without seeing the earlier scenes.
    “ I believe Vivien knows of a witch who can help us.”
    “ Who?” The suspense was killing me.
    “ Elynor,” Devlin answered.
    “ We’re going to physically summon his sister and invite her to join in the ritual,” Vivien stated.
    It was then my mind exploded, or in the very least felt like it had. Summoning the dead was so far beyond anything I’d ever experienced.
    “ Now?” My gaze caught on Devlin’s appearance. He had to be reeling as hard as I was.
    “ Now,” Vivien replied, a lot more confidently than I felt.
    “ I’m about to see my sister for the first time since I sat by her death bed many, many years ago.”
    I wanted to tell Vivien no, that the effect to Devlin’s psyche and heart would be too much, that we’d have to find another way to accomplish the exorcism. This was an incredible favor to ask of him, not to mention the weight of magic Vivien would need to use to perform the spell.
    “ We’re doing this,” Devlin said firmly, resolve etched into his features.
    We were doing this. We were summoning Devlin’s sister from beyond the veil to help bring my mate back from oblivion.
    Heaven help us all.
     
     

Chapter Eight
    Darcy
     
     
    I was so close to freedom.
    With only a little energy left, I knew I needed to conserve it for the battle that lay ahead of me. Mason had figured it out, had realized the strange behavior he was seeing wasn’t the result of my conversion, but of something much more nefarious and dark. If I could, I would’ve wept as everyone rallied around to save me, and I prayed their efforts wouldn’t be in vain.
    Amber had exaggerated somewhat about my being within reach of oblivion. The threat was still there, a beckoning peace that whispered for me to let go and embrace its warmth. But everything I’d ever dreamed of—wished for—resided in the world I desperately clung to. I lay quietly in the shadows, patiently waiting for the exact moment to strike. If it made her overconfident and cocky, the shock of me resurfacing might just be enough to loosen her grip and send her hurtling outward. I didn’t care where she ended up, as long as it wasn’t inside of me.
    I’d come too far; overcome too many obstacles and challenges, to allow some psychotic wolf to steal what was mine.
    Mason.
    My Pack.
    My family and friends.
    They were all mine and I wanted them back.
    Seeing Mason fight for me gave me more strength, adding to the reservoir I’d been building in secrecy. That was the good thing about Amber. She’d felt she had the upper hand and, whilst she would often taunt me with how invincible she was, she never paid to close attention to what I was actually doing. I’d stop being so aggressive in my pleas and efforts to regain control. I’d decided to start playing it smart.
    Most times, the greatest threats are from those you disregard as weak, beneath you. The one you underestimate and pity. It is the downtrodden, the helpless, who