Dark Solace (2 page)

* * * *

The week passed slowly. Theo and I spent much
of that time just playing with Devon on the front lawn, watching
him joyfully roll in the grass and chase insects. The weather was
good now, every day sunny and warm. Not an hour went by that Theo
didn’t hug me, tell me he loved me, or kiss me. I was still
recovering from my surgery, even with my accelerated healing, so we
didn’t do anything more. But it was enough for both of us that we
were together with our baby.

I did make it a point to take long walks
everyday with Theo—Devon strapped into a backpack—and to cut down
on my food intake. I hadn’t gained a lot of weight in my pregnancy
this time, but feeling my muscles tone up put me in a positive
mood. By the second to last day, I was able again to fit into my
loosest pair of jeans. I was very glad to do that, even if I had to
lie down on the bed and suck in my breath to get them to zip. But
when I went in my pride and delight to show Theo my accomplishment,
I stopped just inside the screen door, horrified at the words I was
overhearing.

“You’re going to be big and strong,” Theo
said to Devon proudly. “I hope you have a good life, Dev. I hope
you can understand I love you, and that I didn’t want to leave you.
If I do this, you and your mom will be safe, no matter if I lose or
win. But the truth is I’m hurt, and I’m probably not going to be
fast enough—”

I retreated back inside, thinking frantically
on what to do. I had to do something. I couldn’t let him do this.
Theo had a son. Devon needed his father. He was not growing up the
way I had, with only a picture and some faint memories.

Danial wouldn’t help. Neither would Terian;
they were both too moral to try to sabotage Robert’s challenge
fight with Theo. Devlin wouldn’t interfere, either; he still hated
Theo. Hell, he was probably rooting for Robert to win. Titus
wouldn’t help, in spite of the fact he kept referring to me as his
kin-daughter. That demon was far too moral, in spite of his darker
tendencies. Besides, Dev would have to give permission, something
that would not be forthcoming. But there was one man who might
help, if I could but find a way to bribe him: Lash.

I tried to teleport to Hayden over and over,
willing my ability to have returned. But all my efforts did nothing
but give me a headache. Finally I gave up, tears of frustration in
my eyes. I’d have to drive. There was no other way. But first, I
needed a cover, so Theo wouldn’t suspect what I was up to and stop
me.

I called Hayden immediately. When one of
Devlin’s werebear guards answered, I asked for Serena. She came on,
a little sleepily. “Hello?”

“Serena,” I said quickly. “It’s Sar. I’m
coming to see you now.”

“What?” Serena stated, surprised. “Why—?”

“Just be ready,” I instructed, and hung
up.

I ran outside to see Theo, hoping that by now
he’d stopped telling our son about his impending death. “Theo!” I
said, not bothering to cover my upset. “Something’s happened.”

“What is it?” he asked anxiously.

You can do this, Sar. Now fucking do it.
“Serena called. She asked me to come and see her. I think
something’s happened with one of the guys. I know she doesn’t have
any other friends—”

“Go and see her,” Theo said easily. “I’ll
wait on dinner for you.”

“It will mostly be the travel time,” I said,
not hiding my annoyance. God, give me back my teleportation powers
ANYTIME now, please...“Three hours, maybe?”

“I’ll just wait until you get back,” Theo
said permissively. “Don’t worry how long it is. I know you haven’t
seen Venus this week.” He snorted. “I’m not anxious to talk to Dev
or Lash.”

Good. “I’ll see you later then.” Giving him a
quick kiss, I got in my truck, and drove to Hayden as fast as I
could.

I got lost halfway, as it had been so long
since I had driven there. I was also worried that Robert, or the
Harvesters might try to hurt me enroute. But I had to risk it. I
had a snake to wake.

When I finally got to Hayden, one of the
bears let me through the gate. I parked by the side of the garage,
not wanting to block anyone’s door in case they needed to use their
vehicle. My remote garage door opener still worked, to my relief. I
walked in that way, then downstairs, trying to be both unseen and
quiet. Titus was not in his lab, and neither was Lash. Shit!

I walked to the kitchen next, and breathed a
sigh of relief. Serena was there. I hurried to her side. “Where is
Lash?” I whispered.

“Why are you here—?” she asked curiously in
her normal voice.

“Shh!” I grabbed her, and dragged her outside
through the garage door, still in her robe. She came with me,
watching me like she thought I’d lost it. Finally, when we were far
enough from the house, I asked her again where Lash was.

“Sar, why do you want to—?”

“Just tell me where he is!” I screamed.

“He’s probably near the edge of the woods,”
she said slowly, watching me anxiously. “He spends most Saturday
afternoons there, sunbathing on the large rock near the pond—”

“Thanks,” I said, already turning and running
across the field, swearing at the long grass that threatened to
trip me.

“Sar!” she called after me, but I was already
down the hill, heading fast towards the pond. But my desire was
impeded by my need for air. By the time I got to the edge of the
mowed part of the enormous front lawn, I’d slowed to a fast walk.
My head was in constant motion, my gaze looking in all directions
for Lash as I walked, yet I didn’t see him.

Maybe he was in snake form? If he was, I’d
never see him in the tall grass, not until I stepped on him...I
stopped still, suddenly afraid. “Lash?” I called softly a few
times, looking towards the woods. Dare I go in there looking for
him? What waited there for me, in the darkness of those trees?

There was a rustling sound, then Lash came
into view at the edge of the woods, snapping his coiled whip onto
his belt as he walked in my direction through the tall grass.
Relief flooded me, that I hadn’t stumbled on him either in snake
form or naked, as he’d likely been a few minutes before. Lash was
looking down as he walked, watching the ground for some reason, and
didn’t see me.

I gathered my courage together, took a long
breath, and then went to meet him. He heard me, his head snapping
up after I’d gone a few steps. His face registered faint surprise,
but didn’t call out a welcome. When we were face to face, we both
stopped.

“What are you out here for?” he hissed,
folding his arms over his chest, his eyes and tone cold. “Dev and
Venus are inside.”

“Your help,” I ventured. “If you’ll give it
to me, Lash—”

“No,” he said curtly, then walked around
me.

I reached out and grabbed a hold of his arm.
“Wait—”

He shook me off, and kept walking.

“Please,” I begged, hating the fact that I
was pleading with him. “Please, Lash—”

“Sar, go home. Go to Danial. Go to Theo. Go
anywhere, just leave,” he hissed, still walking away

I ran after him. “I need your help,
Lash.”

“I won’t give it to you,” he hissed, still
walking. “You can’t afford me.”

He was right about that. Being the best, he
probably made 100K just to scare someone a little. I swallowed my
pride, then my conscience. “I know that Lash. I’m not offering
money; I’m offering you control over me. I’ll do anything you ask
me to.”

Lash stopped, turning to look at me. Then he
began walking back, eyeing me hungrily. “Anything?” he said,
hissing. “Anything I ask you to do, you’ll do?”

I hated him for making me crawl. “Yes,” I
said defiantly. “Anything.”

“What do you want me to help you with?” he
said, folding his arms across his chest. “My price depends on what
you are asking me to do for you.”

“Not me. I want you to help Theo. Robert
asked him to come alone, that they would settle this one on
one—”

“That’s as it should be,” Lash interrupted
coldly. “I shouldn’t interfere with a challenge.”

“Don’t interfere,” I said. “But this wasn’t
done fairly. Theo is still weak from the beating he took from
Karl’s men. If Robert beats him, fine, just don't let him kill
Theo. I don’t trust that Robert won’t just stab him in the back, or
ambush him with more men, rather than fight him one on one—”

“Robert will kill him if he beats him, Sar,”
Lash hissed. “That’s the way of challenges. I have always killed
anyone who challenged me. You don't want them coming back for
revenge later. So you’re really asking me to kill Robert.”

“I’m asking you to save Theo’s life. Will you
do it?” I pleaded desperately.

“Did you go to Dev, and he refuse your
request?” Lash hissed scathingly. “I can’t believe that, Sar. He
still believes if something happens to Theo that you might die,
too. He wouldn’t refuse you, though he would make you—”

“I came to you,” I said angrily. “Dev doesn’t
know I’m here. No one does, except Serena. Theo can’t know about
this—”

“You must be desperate to come to me like
this,” Lash hissed, his cold eyes glittering. “To put yourself in
my power, knowing what I might ask of you. To trust me that I’ll
help you, if I say I will.”

“You never hurt me. So far as I know, you
haven’t lied to me either. You kept our last times together a
secret, just like I kept yours from everyone.” I paused, meeting
his cold stare. “I trust you, Lash. If you say you’ll do this, I’ll
take you at your word, and give mine in return.”

Lash looked at me, considering. “It should be
doable,” he hissed finally, his tone thoughtful. “Where is the
location of the fight? When?”

“Tomorrow night. I’m not sure where. He’s
leaving around dusk—”

“I can follow Theo easily enough. I’ll be
waiting near your barn on a motorcycle. If you tag him with a
transmitter, I can track him if he loses me. Can you put one in his
vehicle?”

“Yes,” I said without hesitation.

“I’ll put it in your truck, before you go,”
Lash instructed. “Put it in his glove compartment within the truck
manual case. He will not see it there, or think to check. Remove it
after, and give it to me the next time you see me.”

“Agreed.” Now for the hard part. “What do you
want in return?”

Lash came closer. “First kiss me, to seal our
pact,” he hissed.

Shit, he was going to ask me to be weresnake
so he could coil with me. I shifted uneasily.

“I’m waiting,” Lash hissed softly. “Unless
you want to reconsider.”

You can do this, Sar. You have to do it. If
Theo is saved, that’s all that matters.

I put my hands on Lash’s arms, and slowly
leaned in towards him. Lash reached up and grabbed my hair, pulling
my lips forcefully to his. But the kiss was chaste, lasting only a
few seconds before Lash pulled back from me. “I want you to take
Dev back,” he said softly.

Oh, God, no. I looked at him imploringly.
“Why?”

“As much as I enjoyed you, Sar, I know you
don’t want to be with me now,” Lash hissed bitterly. “There’s no
point in turning you, not when you’re unwilling.” He smiled
crookedly. “But Dev and you still have a chance. He loves you the
way I’ve never seen him love anyone—”

“He doesn’t know the meaning of the word,” I
replied, more sad than bitter. “He thinks only of himself.”

“I know him better than anyone else, even
Danial, and I’m telling you, he loves you,” Lash hissed angrily.
“Give him another chance. Go to him, and tell him you forgive him.
Tell him you love him, because I know you still do. Tell him you’ll
give him another Oath.”

“How can you ask this of me?” I said angrily.
“You know how I feel about what he did.”

“You know how I feel about Theo,” Lash
replied coldly. “That didn’t stop you asking me to save him.”

“That’s completely different!” I shouted.
“Theo’s decent, loving, and—”

Lash gave me a hard shove, knocking me
sprawling on my behind. I looked up at him in fury from the dirt,
though I wasn’t bruised, except for my tattered pride.

“Stay down there,” he hissed, looking down on
me. “And listen.”

I folded my arms across my chest, and
glowered up at him.

“When I was thirty-seven, Devlin and I met.
We were much alike, wanting to spend our nights partying with
women, and hell-raising. After a year from hell, and some pretty
bad business, we were the best of friends. But I’d been hurt bad,
almost died. It took me a while to heal, even being weresnake.
Devlin realized when he saw me hurt that bad that I was mortal,
that if he didn’t do something, he was eventually going to lose me
as he had all his other friends over the years.”

“The potion,” I supplied. “The one that
extends your life.”

Lash nodded. “He had Titus scour ancient
texts, anything he knew of, trying to find some spell to lengthen
my life. Finally he found the potion. It uses demon blood, Sar.
Devlin buys some of Titus’s every month, to use. It doesn’t take
much.”

Demon blood seemed to be in everything that
was transformative. But it was understandable, there was a lot of
power in it. That was also likely why Lash’s diet was similar to
Titus’s, consisting of only raw flesh and blood.

Lash crouched down, his eyes boring into
mine. “It takes vampire blood too, Sar. A goodly amount. At first,
Devlin just made new vampires, and took what he needed from them.
It was part of the deal: he made them a vampire, and they gave him
blood for a year, before leaving to live their new life. He did
that for several decades, early on.” Lash’s tone intensified. “But
when I was nearing sixty, it wasn’t enough anymore. The potion
began to fail. Titus said it was a problem with the vampire blood,
that it didn’t have enough power, as the vampires were new. I
thought that was it for me then. But I’d had another few decades of
relative youth, it was enough right? It was going to have to
be.”