Darkness Unleashed (17 page)

“
No, I thought that at first, too, but she later bragged about how this was just temporary for her and that being with Mason was her reward once her task was done. She never stopped reminding me about how smart she was. That she’d managed to hook up with someone with power who could give her what she wanted. She’d never met the Master, but Helena had. It was the witch who originally approached Amber and made her the offer.”

Pausing to take a break, it wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be to discuss. Even though I remembered the horror of realizing I’d become a prisoner in my body, it was as if I was now looking at it from afar—describing someone else’s life.

“
You mentioned the Master . . . do you have any idea who he is?” Devlin leaned forward in his chair, resting his elbows on his knees as he waited for my answer.

“
He’s someone very powerful and even though Amber hadn’t met him, she was scared of him. Helena constantly talked about how patient he was and that his day of glory was fast approaching. Apparently he’d waited a very long time for his plans to come into fruition, adjusting them slightly whenever they derailed from his goals. Amber told me I should be grateful I was going to die because the things he was orchestrating would release a darkness so overwhelming that the world would never fully recover. From the way she whispered his name, almost reverently, I began seeing him as some kind of god. When she began killing for him, I knew if it was the last thing I ever did, I had to warn you all. Unfortunately, the magic silencing me, keeping me bound, was too strong. All I could do was watch and pray she’d slip up.”

“
We almost lost you,” Mason murmured.

“
I wouldn’t have lasted another day. The body isn’t equipped to handle two human spirits. Unless there was some type of intervention, the one not in control would simply fade away into the afterlife. Toward the end, I could hear voices beckoning me to let go. I couldn’t, though, Mason. I couldn’t let go until I knew you were safe.” I needed him to know that. That I hadn’t given up, that I’d continued to hold on as tightly as I could, despite the lure of death.

He went to say something, but I shook my head. Unable to look at the anguish in his eyes, I turned to Zane, choosing to focus on him, instead.

“
All those attacks and deaths you discussed in that meeting? Amber and Helena were responsible for them. Amber used my body to rip them apart, feeding her thirst for blood and cruelty with each ritual they performed. Helena is powerful, Zane. Don’t think for one second she can be reformed or saved. Her heart is as black as her magic. It was a shock when she revealed how deeply her depravity ran and how much she enjoyed each spell she cast. She was nothing like the friend Vivien introduced her as. All I can say is she’s an amazing actress because she fooled us all.”

“
I know the news of the betrayal has rocked Vivien to the core. She was the one who vouched for the Salem witch and brought her here. When I spoke with her this morning, she was devastated.”

“
She couldn’t have known, I promise you. Helena was perfect in her performance. If I hadn’t witnessed her ability to switch between the two different personalities, I wouldn’t have believed it. But once I did, it chilled me. Helena has no qualms about using whatever means necessary to further the Master’s work. He’ll come for her. She’s too valuable to him to leave wallowing away in a dungeon.”

“
He’ll need to find her, first,” Devlin chimed in. Glancing briefly at the clock hanging on the wall near Zane’s desk, he nodded. “In fact, she’s being prepared for transport as we speak. The prison cell holding her right now isn’t as secure as I’d like. She’s being moved to a more fortified prison, where she can be heavily guarded. I’ve already called ahead to the location and warned them.”

“
She’s not to be trusted.” I didn’t know how to state it any plainer. “Her magic is not to be trusted.”

“
How does the Vortex play into the Master’s plans?” Zane asked, finally speaking up.

“
He wants to use the power contained there to break his enemies and subjugate them to his will. From the way Amber viewed him, he was like Helena, but on steroids. He’s control hungry and thinks he’ll become unstoppable once he harnesses the energy force there.”

My admission hung heavy between us. Attacks came and went within the community as tyrants stepped forward to claim the authority they felt was owed to them. There had been attempts at controlling the vortex before, but no one had ever been successful in consuming it. I’d heard it was impossible to contain it within one vessel, but it wasn’t a theory I wanted to see tested. There was a reason why it was protected.

The thought of it being loose on an unsuspecting world was terrifying.

Mason broke the silence. “The artifact. It’s been moved again, right?”

“
Yes, your Daniel aided in the removal; and once the task was completed, his memories were stripped by me, personally,” Zane answered.

“
Do we need to find it a new hiding place?” Devlin asked, addressing his king.

That was the question. If this artifact held the means by which to channel the vortex’s power, it was imperative it never ends up in the wrong person’s hands, especially the Master’s.

“
Perhaps. I’m confident the new resting place hasn’t been uncovered, but maybe we should err on the side of caution. Let me consider it some more.” Already the decision warred within Zane as his brow furrowed in deep thought. “What else can you tell us, Darcy?”

I strained to recollect everything I’d seen. “I think I’ve told you everything. Amber was hired by Helena to do the Master’s bidding and together they killed and performed some dark magic on his behalf. I’m not completely certain what the spells were for, though. Amber only asked a few questions and Helena was pretty tightly lipped with explanations. I know they wanted the artifact for themselves. I know that they were trying to bring the Master here and that when he arrived, Amber was going to have Mason given to her as a reward.”

“
Like hell she was,” Mason muttered angrily.

“
You wouldn’t have had a choice. With the Master controlling everyone, you would’ve become his puppet. You all would’ve. And Mason, toward the end, Amber hated you. As much as she loved you in the beginning, with her last breath she vowed to make you pay for your neglect and refusal of her.”

“
She’s no threat to us,” he replied, reaching over and gripping my hand. He held on tightly, his fingers trembling as he struggled to contain his anger. I’d known he wouldn’t respond well to hearing everything, but it wasn’t the threat to him that infuriated him. It was the fact I’d been exposed to this kind of vile evil that rattled his cage.

“
She isn’t,” I agreed. “But the Master is. He’s still out there, even without the aid of his minions. I wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t have others working for him, as well. There was too much riding on his plot’s success to rest it solely on two people. This isn’t over. If anything, he’ll be even more anxious and determined to see his work done.”

A thought struck me at the same time I paused to take a breath. It came slowly, but once it came, it was startlingly.

“
You have something to share?” Zane had read me, again.

“
When Vivien and Elynor were performing the ritual that freed me, for the briefest of seconds I felt someone else in my body.” As crazy as it seemed, the longer I dwelled on it, the surer I became.

“
Someone other than Amber?”

“
Yes. As she faded away, another presence entered me. It wasn’t able to take her place and retreated swiftly when I sensed it–but yeah, it was awfully crowded there for a moment.”

“
Any idea who?” Devlin asked.

A shudder passed through me. “Evil. Pure evil. That’s all I know.”

Devlin sat back, staring at Mason before looking to Zane. “Maybe Vivien can find out who?”

“
I don’t know,” Zane answered, pondering the possibilities. “I think to do so she’d need to probe inside Darcy’s mind and, for the moment, I’m reluctant to ask that much of your niece. Something tells me the mystery will resolve itself soon enough.”

The thought of having someone else in my mind, looking around, jolted me, causing Mason to squeeze my hand reassuringly.

“
I’m willing to do whatever you need,” I began, but was interrupted by a rapid knock on the door. Before Zane could address the newcomer, Vlad burst in, his shirt torn and blood dripping from the corner of his mouth.

“
We’re under attack. Helena’s escaped.”

All thought of future spells were tossed aside as everyone leaped to their feet and rushed toward the door.

“
Stay here, Darcy,” Mason ordered. A command I promptly ignored as I followed him out into the hallway. “Fine, then keep close. No unnecessary heroics.”

“
I could say the same for you,” I fired back.

Be careful
, came his response through our connection.

Always
.

Love you
was the last message I received as we burst outside and found fighting still underway.

****

I’d seen fight scenes on TV and in movies, even witnessed a few brawls amongst angry Pack members, but the one that had finally been contained outside the Council building was nothing short of insanity. There was no preparing for it—no way of understanding just how intense that kind of battle could be.

That was exactly my thought once reinforcements arrived and the Enforcers subdued those not lying on the ground, knocked out. The sole purpose of this battle had been retrieving Helena.

“
Tell me what happened?” Devlin thundered, looking around. So far, no one was reported dead; but judging by the limps and groans I heard around me, everyone had received their fair share of hits.

It was Vlad who stepped forward. “I was sitting in my car getting ready to leave and noticed the prison convoy arrive. Instead of leaving, I waited long enough to see Asher and Carlos bring her out in chains. Everything appeared to be going according to procedure when someone burst out of the back doors of a van and struck Asher. More bodies emerged, some from another vehicle that pulled up behind it, and chaos followed. I saw Carlos radio for help as I raced inside to raise the alarm.” He’d been hurt when he came to the office. Touching the side of his lip that was still swollen, he didn’t flinch. “They tried to stop me, but I got away.”

“
And Helena? Tell me someone managed to prevent her from escaping.” He wasn’t the only one glancing about, frowning when he couldn’t see her.

Asher staggered forward, the front of his shirt ripped, the gaping hole revealing gashes across his skin. “I tried, but they were quick. Three overpowered me while one grabbed Helena and escorted her to the waiting van. It looked like a decommissioned Enforcer vehicle . . . the same make and model, only dark blue instead of black. Anyone giving it a brief glance would easily confuse them.”

“
You’re not trained to be confused, Asher,” Devlin barked. He’d taken a few blows through the fight as well, but unlike the others, who were stretching out sore muscles and wiping away blood, he stood rigid—refusing to acknowledge his own injuries until he had the full details.

A cough seized me, a tightness rattling around in my chest and drawing Devlin’s attention my way. I hadn’t been in the thick of things, leaving the heavier fighting to those who were better equipped, but one of the attackers had spotted me and rushed over to engage me in combat. I’d taken a few strikes to the head, which dazed me, causing me to stumble backward as I struggled to regain my bearings. It was impossible to tell who it was, the combatants wore ski masks to disguise their faces, but whoever it was seemed determined to drag me to the van. They hadn’t expected me to retaliate and use my strength to resist.

With one last chilling blow, my vision had blurred and then, as quickly as they’d come, the assailants who were still standing fled. Vehicle doors slammed shut and tires squealed over the asphalt as they retreated. It didn’t matter that they’d left behind some of their comrades. They’d got what they came for and left a definite statement—one that screamed this wasn’t the last we’d seen of them.

“
You okay?” Devlin used his vampiric speed to cross the distance between us in a blink of an eye. His thumb brushed across my bottom lip and came back with a smear of blood. “Talk to me, Darcy.”

I could hear him speaking, his question registering in my mind, but it wasn’t what held my attention. It was the suffocating feeling that almost consumed me. My vision went black and I dropped to my knees, gasping for air.

I heard voices calling my name.

Just not the voice I expected.

“
Mason,” I wheezed, still fighting to catch my breath. I felt winded, but it was the terror now overtaking me that heightened my anxiety.

“
He’s here somewhere,” Devlin answered, pulling me into his arms as he helped me stand. “Vlad, see if you can find Mason. Last time I saw him, he was heading inside after one of the attackers.”

“
Got it, boss.”

“
No,” I exclaimed, the word stopping Vlad in his tracks. “He’s not inside.” Steady on my feet again, I shook my head as if it could dislodge the truthfulness of my next sentence. “He’s not here.”

“
I think you need to sit down,” Devlin added as I swayed back and forth, unable to keep myself upright.

“
No. We need to go find him,” I murmured as everything began to darken and the ground rushed up to greet me. Something was wrong. A lethargic feeling flooded my body. Mason was in trouble—our connection flickering.