Firefight in Darkness (27 page)

She felt something cold slither down her spine at his words. “You think she’s planning some kind of revenge against my dad?”

“
It’s all speculation, but it’s possible.”

“But what could she possibly do? I mean, sure he cheated on her in a way, but they were never officially back together I don’t think, and really if anyone should be thirsting for revenge it’s Rohan…”

Liam was quiet for a moment, and the silence hung heavy between them. When he spoke, his voice had taken on a darkness she wasn’t used to hearing from her happy go lucky brother.
“Dad’s managed to talk with Rohan a little bit these past couple weeks. He’s in a bad state, a kind of numb, concealed depression, but he’s controlling himself enough to maintain his dignity. And, despite what you may think, he and Nyxa have not banded together to get revenge. Rohan has too much class to do anything more than accept and move on.”

“Rohan, class?” She laughed even though nothing about the comment was funny. “Because it was real classy a couple months ago when he pulled my hair and dragged me across the floor like a crazy person. Or when he immediately blamed me for letting Dante onto Euphora when Capri was possessed.”

“
I never said he was a saint, I’m just saying that revenge is not on his mind. He just wants Serendipity to stay the hell away from your dad. And, so far, she has. She seems to be repentant, so we will see if he ultimately forgives her.”

“If I were him I wouldn’t.” She replied fiercely, remembering how her grandmother had reacted to being cheated on. “I would teach the bitch a lesson.”

“
Ah, but we all aren’t as hot headed as you, love.”
Because it was said with adoration, she smiled, softening.

“I miss you.”

“
I miss you too. Between dad and Capri the carpet in the parlor is getting worn thin by them pacing with worry over you. You better come home soon or there won’t be anything left but stone on the floor.”

She laughed at the visual even as the guilt crept through into her gut. “Tell them not to worry, and you shouldn’t worry either. We’re almost there, I can feel it. I’ll finish the diary tomorrow and then we’ll have our answers. Tell everyone important I said hi.”

“
I will. I love you, clownface.”

“I love you too.”

She hung up the phone and glanced over at Jax, who was still reading. He didn’t bother to look up at her until she got up to sit beside him, handing him back his cell phone.

“Thanks for letting me use the phone again, cowboy.” She murmured, feeling sentimental after the call to Liam. He took the phone from her and set it on the nightstand, his eyes on hers.

“Any time.” He watched her carefully, noting the pain she was feeling. Setting the book aside, he sat up and pulled her into his arms. “Why the long face, darlin’?”

She clung to him, fighting back the tears she suddenly felt aching behind her eyes. “I don’t know, I guess I’m just exhausted, mentally and physically, you know?”

“I do know.” He said quietly, his hand stroking her back lazily. When he pulled away, he cupped his hands around her face and pressed his lips to hers in a soft kiss, intended to comfort. On instinct, she deepened the kiss, her arms wrapping around his neck to pull herself closer.

“God, why does it seem like love does nothing but ruin those who succumb to it?” She murmured, saying what was in her heart. She felt him stiffen, then heard him exhale slowly as she pressed her face into his neck.

“Love is an imperfect thing.”

“My grandmother loved Silas, and he ruined her. My mother loved my father, and he used her. He loved another man’s wife, and by taking her he destroyed them both. Lucian loves his wife, but not in the deep, passionate way we all hope for. He respects her, and she trusts him, and so they had children together, but there’s no real love there. I don’t want to end up like that, Jax. I’m terrified to end up like any of them.”

“Rian and Capri seem happy.” He murmured, trailing his hands up her back. His face was turned into her hair, and because he couldn’t help himself, he relished in the woodsy scent of embers that seemed to be as inherent a part of her as her smile.

“They’re perfect, and lucky.” She trailed her lips along his neck, enjoying the way his pulse jumped. Her breath quickened as her heart began to pound in her chest, and she hoped he could feel it. “And what are we, Jax?”

“Lord, Blythe, I think we’re fools.” He managed, yanking her head back to look at her, his eyes haunted.

“Then let’s be fools.” She crushed her mouth against his, and lost herself in him. Maybe she wasn’t yet ready to tell him she loved him, but she was damn ready to show him.

And when they tumbled back against the bed, neither of them noticed the dark figure hovering just outside the window, weeping with enraged misery.

♦ ♦ ♦

July 30th, 1976

Thea has accepted that Silas will not be returning to Euphora. Unbeknownst to her, I threatened to flay him alive if he even tried, and so he won’t. He’s too much of a coward. She’s accepted my explanation that his adultery was the only reason, and in doing so I have saved face for both myself and my son. We can live in relative peace now.

March 31st, 1977

Something both horrific and wonderful happened today. I met someone, and my hardened heart is torn between those first, soft feelings of attraction and between cold, safe distance. My mind has abandoned me, as none of my thoughts seem logical now. Damn my mind for having always been strictly governed by my heart.

It happened at the beach. I’d taken Brock to Santa Monica for the day so he could play in the ocean, and as I was sitting on my towel enjoying the sun, a man approached me. He had a dog with him, this big chocolate lab, that bounded right to me and started licking my face. The man apologized, and had such a kind smile. We got to talking, and I found out that he lives right there in Santa Monica, and works at the local farmer’s market. He was incredibly nice and courteous, and a bit shy. I suppose at first my frostiness intimidated him, but when I saw the kindness in his eyes I couldn’t help but warm to him.

His name is Peter. God help me, but I’m seeing him again in a couple of weeks. He was so good with Brock too, such a natural with children. Brock gets along with everyone, but he seemed to like Peter especially.

I wonder if I’m ready for this, but maybe there’s no harm in having an innocent friendship with a nice human man. And if it progresses to something more, then I’ll deal with it when it comes.

Until then, he will be my little secret.

April 17th, 1977

I saw Peter again today at the beach. We got lunch on the Pier, and sat and talked for hours and hours…until the sun set in the sky. Then we walked the shoreline with his dog, Max, and talked some more. He’s so considerate, and so sensitive…it makes me wonder how any man could be so nice. He makes me feel so at ease when I’m with him, like there’s nothing to worry about in this peaceful little bubble we’re in. He was brave enough to reach for my hand today, and even though I told myself no, I still let him. My heart beat faster when he looked at me, a soothing confidence in his eyes. He’s nothing like Silas, not arrogant or intense or even handsome. He’s just…kind. Perhaps that’s all I’ve ever wanted, without even knowing it. Someone to be kind to me.

May 27th, 1977

Today was our fourth date, and he kissed me. It was so sweet to see him so nervous, fumbling with the key to his apartment so I could see where he lives. And after he’d given me the tour, we were standing on his balcony, the sun setting over the horizon, and he kissed me. It was gentle and sweet, and heartwarming. God, against my better judgment, I think I may be falling for him.

Brock just adores him, and he adores Brock, something that makes me enormously happy. But one critical fact has been lingering on my mind for awhile now, and I just can’t shake it. How would Peter react to me telling him what I really am? Could he be the kind of human who could accept that? I’m not sure, and I’m almost too scared to find out. I don’t want to ruin this, whatever we have. It’s become so precious to me…

“God, this couldn’t be important.” Blythe murmured, shutting the diary and setting it aside.

“What is it?” Jax asked, busy shaving in the bathroom.

“Bristol fell in love with some human guy. I should probably skip ahead.”

“Wait.” Stepping out of the bathroom, shaving cream still on half of his face, Jax pointed his razor at her. “Just how do you think a demon gets a woman pregnant, Blythe?”

She snorted out a laugh. “I don’t know, and I don’t really care. Ain’t my business.”

He responded by rolling his eyes. “They have to possess a human in order to, you know…” he made a few hand gestures, earning another hoot of laughter from her. “Do it. So maybe this guy was the human the demon possessed.”

“You mean kind hearted Peter is the demon?” Disbelieving, Blythe shook her head. “I just don’t see it.”

“Just keep reading.” With that, he returned to his shaving, leaving her alone with the diary once more.

“Sure thing, boss.” She grumbled sarcastically, lifting the diary and opening it again, convinced that she was wasting her time.

July 5th, 1977

Peter and I have been seeing each other for a few months now, and it’s been wonderful. I never thought my heart could love again, but I think it has. I still haven’t told Thea, or any of the others. He is still my little secret. Thea’s been asking me where I’ve been going all this time, and I keep making excuses. I don’t want her to have any influence over this. I know she would say that this is not in Brock’s best interest, but I don’t see how it’s causing him any harm. He spends so much time with his friends anyway, I don’t see how me seeing Peter once in awhile is hurting him.

I have made my decision not to tell Peter what I am. It’s too risky, and I feel I can keep what we have in tact long enough for Brock to be old enough to take over for me on Euphora, and then I can live down here with Peter. He’s already talking about marrying me, and I know I should be afraid, but I’m not. I feel exhilarated.

July 26th, 1977

God, I’m pregnant…I almost don’t want to believe it, but part of me is so overjoyed about it. I haven’t told anyone yet, and I don’t think I will. Only Peter knows, and he’s so happy. He wants me to move in with him and marry him once the baby is born.

I guess my long term plan to leave Euphora is going to have to happen immediately, before I begin to show. Thea won’t understand, but she’ll have to accept it. And Brock…my first baby, my constant love…I can’t take him away from his home and his legacy. But he’s such a happy child, and he’ll be eleven in less than a year. He doesn’t need me much anymore, he’s so headstrong and confident. The other boys all look up to him. I know he will be okay without me, and I will try and see him whenever I can.

July 30th, 1977

I broke things with Thea the best way I knew how. I fought with her, and I threatened to leave, even though that was my full intent all along. She fell for it, and tried to bait me around by saying she would raise Brock herself, hoping that would sway me. But of course it didn’t. I want her to help Brock along as best she can when I’m gone.

And so it is done. Within months I will have another baby, Peter’s baby. I can only hope this is the right decision…but, then again, life has always been a gamble for me…

There was a suspicious break in the entries, with a few blank pages between, as though Bristol had skipped them on purpose, for symbolism, maybe. Blythe flipped through them, her brow furrowing when she found the next entry, scrawled in hurried and desperate writing, alone in the center of the page. Her heart fell as she read the short sentence, dated some nine months from the previous entry.

April 1st, 1978

What’s done can’t be undone. –William Shakespeare

A shiver ran through her that had nothing to do with being cold. Rubbing her arms, she fought against the urge to burn the book to ashes so as not to read anymore. She wasn’t sure she could handle it. She was starting to fear what she knew was coming, and it terrified her like nothing had ever terrified her before. Jax had left her alone to get them food, and so she had only herself.

Her chest aching miserably, she set the book down and curled into herself, and let the tears fall.

♦ ♦ ♦

August 1st, 1978

What can be said, except that I am a fool? I should have seen it coming, should have known that nothing so beautiful could have been real. But the betrayal…oh, God, it hurts almost worse than the outcome itself.

I was too trusting, and will damn myself for the rest of my life for it. I abandoned my son, my home, my life, all for a lie. Peter was nothing but a disgusting lie…

I gave birth to my son on April Fool’s Day…how fitting, because nothing describes how I feel better than that. Peter and Silas both played me for a fool.

You see, dear diary, my only friend, Peter was not what he seemed. And it took the birth of my son for me to finally realize the elaborate con Silas had conducted against me.

I knew something was wrong the moment I held my son in my arms, my little Dante, and his eyes flashed red. Oh, the horror that clenched my heart, the disbelief over what I had seen with my own eyes. He has demon blood…good God, was all I could think, how in the world does he have demon blood? And then Peter came into the room, and Silas was with him, and they both looked at me and smiled so hideously…I knew it then, I knew that they had both betrayed me. Peter had been a demon all along, pretending to be a human, and I was the fool who fell for it. And Silas had contracted him to do this to me, to ensure I was shamed and destroyed. And he was right, I am shamed, and my life as a Fire Dryad is over, I can never return to Euphora now…