Until Darkness Comes (24 page)

It was late when Balen pulled up to Ashley’s house. A dark blue Beamer sat parked in the driveway. The house boasted a little light shining out from the kitchen window.

“Are your parents home?”
“Who knows.” She sounded irritated.
“I probably shouldn’t have kept you out so late.” “Nah, it’s all right. Thanks for inviting me. I had a

really great time.” She turned in her seat to face him.

He’d been fighting the urge to touch her all night. She looked so beautiful, he ached to reach out and brush the escaped curl away from her face. The temptation to kiss her full pink lips was nearly too much to resist. He could feel her desire as vividly as his own, and that knowledge made each second alone with her nothing short of pure torture.

One kiss would break Max’s tie to her, sealing their bond for eternity. Without a doubt, Max would still fight for her, but Balen also knew he wouldn’t win. It wasn’t fair to Ashley, though, and any chance of her and Nate getting together would be over. It was selfish of him to want her like this. She didn’t understand what she was getting herself into. Maybe she and Nate could be happy together. That unpleasant thought triggered a rush of jealousy and he nearly reached over and kissed her right then and there.

“What are you thinking about?”

“Hmm, I’m thinking about how very beautiful you are.” He couldn’t lie to her, even if he wanted to.
“Really?” She sounded like she didn’t believe him.
“Yes, really. Why do you sound so surprised?” “Because…”
“Because why?” He wished he could read her mind. A tingle of pins and needles prickled his flesh from the inside. Her nervousness heightened his own senses. Sight, hearing, smell…Oh Lord, she smelled fantastic—cocoa butter and almonds.
“Because you haven’t even tried to hold my hand.” She looked away from him, and he tipped his head to the side, trying to catch her eye.
“Ashley,” he said softly, “it’s not that I don’t want to hold your hand. It’s that I can’t.”
She looked back at him, her beautiful hazel eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Why not? Is there someone else?”
“Kind of, it’s…complicated.” Shit, this wasn’t coming out right at all.
Ashley’s anger blasted into him like a sucker punch in the gut. She leaned back in her seat and huffed. “I knew it! You
do
have a girlfriend! God-dammit, Balen!”
“I don’t have a girlfriend, Ashley. It’s just…I’m not who you think I am, and I don’t think getting involved would be fair to you.”
“Great, you know the ‘it’s not you, it’s me’ line is pretty insulting. If you’re not interested, Balen, then why didn’t you just say so?”
Okay, this wasn’t going well at all. He’d heard females could be testy, but geeze, she was really pissed. Her anger mounted by the second. A part of him wanted to be totally honest with her, to tell her everything, although she probably wouldn’t believe him. Another part of him just wanted to grab her and kiss her.
“Ashley…”
She cut him off by opening the passenger car door and climbing out. “Good night, Balen,” she said, slamming the door shut.
He watched her march up to the house, wanting nothing more than to go after her.
It’s better this way. Let her go.
Balen ran his hands over his face in frustration. Well, if that didn’t turn into a shit storm in a mighty big hurry.
Balen backed out of the driveway and drove home. He kicked the front door closed with the heel of his boot and did a little of his own huffing, tossing the keys on the kitchen table as he walked by. He needed a shower before going back to Ashley’s for the night—a long cold one.
A half-hour later, clad in a clean pair of jeans and no shirt, Balen walked through the living room, towel drying his hair. The subtle scent of sulfurous smoke hit his senses, sending a jolt of energy through his corded muscles. He tossed the towel on a nearby chair and turned a seething glare on his unwelcome guest.
A pair of smug black eyes watched him closely. Max sat on the couch, stretched out with his hands locked behind his head and his feet propped up on the glass coffee table.
“You must have a death wish, you know that? What in the hell are you doing here?” Balen growled.
“Oh, you know me. I thrive on conflict.” Max paused dramatically. “I came to offer you a deal.”
“Making a deal with you is like making a deal with the devil. No thank you. Don’t even waste your breath, and get your rotten ass out of my house before your stench gets in my couch.” Balen pointed the way to the door.
“I’m offering you a truce,” Max proceeded, ignoring the imminent threat of bodily harm. “A life for a life, if you will.”
He wanted nothing more than to wipe that smug smirk off Max’s face. “You’re in no position to offer me anything. Now get out!”
“Olivia’s life?” Max let the offer hang in the air.
“For…” Balen sighed, hating himself for taking the bait, and for letting himself get pulled into Max’s games.
“Ashley, of course. Walk away, Balen. You never wanted to be a guardian in the first place. That’s not what you were created for. You’re better than this.”
“What is your obsession with her?” he challenged.
“The fact that you can even ask me that tells me you haven’t touched her yet. Why is Liam obsessed with Olivia? You can’t deny that he is. I can see it in his eyes. It’s their life force—the forbidden fruit, if you will. It’s absolutely addicting.” Max closed his eyes as if he were savoring just the thought of her.
“She’s never going to love you, Max. You’re wasting your time.” Maybe he could talk some sense into the deranged fool. It was quickly becoming obvious that the only way Ashley would be free of him was if he broke their bond, but was it a sacrifice he was willing to make? Stuck as a guardian for the rest of her life—definitely not his idea of a good time.
“It’s not her heart I’m after.” A sadistic smile spread across his face.
“You’re a real piece of shit, you know that?” Balen snarled.
“Now that just hurts.”
“Get the fuck out of my house!”
“Or what?” Max challenged, his coal black eyes suddenly stone-dead serious. “You’ll kill me? Like you killed the watcher tonight?” He stood up, meeting Balen eye to eye. The only thing separating them was the glass coffee table in the center of the living room. “You’re certainly welcome to try, but I promise you, you’ll not find me such an easy opponent.”
A deep growl tore from Balen’s chest as he flew over the table. He was fast, but not fast enough. Max sidestepped his assault.
“I wish I had the time to stay and play these games with you, Balen, but I really do have to get going,” he taunted, his voice thick with boredom. “Do give Liam my best. Tell him I’m sorry about his girl. It really is just business, you know. We all have choices to make, and it looks like you’ve made yours.”
Balen lunged for Max. He slipped through his fingers as he stepped across dimensions. Balen muttered a curse and crossed over, chasing after Max, who fled down the hall and through the parlor of the old Victorian home. By the time Balen passed through the door and reached the front step, Max was gone.
A thorough search of the city left Balen emptyhanded and royally pissed off. The coward was probably hiding in Sheol.

***

Day and night ceased to exist for Liam. He paced up and down the long marble halls of the High Court, impatiently waiting his summons. The tips of his outstretched wings brush against the smooth cool walls like fingers trailing absently beside him.

It felt like he’d just arrived here, but time wasn’t the same for Olivia. She was becoming increasingly anxious about his absence. Her frustration and loneliness gnawed at his nerves. The threat of Max discovering he was away constantly plagued the back of his mind. He knew it was only a matter of time before Max would make his move. He was up to something, or Rowen wouldn’t have bothered or dared to enter the High Court.

As time passed, he grew increasingly apprehensive about his meeting with the elders. He hoped they wouldn’t ask him the one question that would force him to incriminate himself. If they did, he would most assuredly be forced to choose. It was a decision he didn’t want to make, one he wasn’t sure he
could
make. Could he learn to live without her? Could she live a normal, happy life without him?
Not unless our bond is broken. And maybe not even then.

The court could break their bond if he asked them to. He’d be required to admit his error in wanting her, in loving her, and he wasn’t sure he could do that, either. Just the thought of being separated from her left a crushing ache in his chest. He honestly didn’t know if he held onto her because he believed it was the best thing for her, or because he couldn’t let her go.

Liam turned around, sensing he was no longer alone. An officer of the court stood in the doorway of the chamber. “They’re ready to see you now.”

“I’ll be right there.”

The officer turned around and walked back into the courtroom. The massive gold plated doors swung closed behind him. Liam forced one foot in front of the other, his methodical, purposeful steps echoing down the long hall as he prepared to face the court that would determine his destiny.

Nate woke, just as the early morning sun began to filter in through his bedroom window. The clear sky and still air would make for a beautiful day of kayaking. He climbed out of bed and hurried into the shower. He wanted to stop by Ashley’s house before meeting up with Olivia, hoping he could convince her to come along with them today.

Sometime in the middle of the night between 3 and 4 a.m., he finally decided to tell Ashley how he felt about her—that he wanted to be more than just friends. He’d had the conversation in his head a million times, trying to find just the right words. Maybe it was the haunting image of ringing her doorbell and finding Balen standing on the other side that finally made him decide to act. He wanted to be that guy for her, and he’d be damned if he was going to stand aside while Liam’s friend swooped in and stole her heart. It’d been a shit sandwich surprise to pull into her driveway and find Balen sitting on her front step.

How long had he stayed? Something told him Balen’s intentions went beyond just doing Liam “a favor.” If he didn’t make his move now, he might not ever get the chance.
Just man up and go for it. What do you have to lose?

Nate threw on a dark blue performance t-shirt with a pair of blue and white plaid shorts, and hurried out of the house, even more excited to see Ashley now that he’d made his mind up to tell her how he felt. He pulled into Café Latte on the way to her house to grab her a cup of coffee. He quickly thanked the stranger who held the door open for him as he walked out, each hand full of the steaming beverage.

“You going somewhere?”

Nate froze as that familiar arrogant voice accosted him. He leveled Max with a hard glare. “I hardly see how anything I do is of concern to you.”

Max sat at one of the outside tables tucked along the corner of the building. He leaned back in his chair. “That second cup of coffee wouldn’t happen to be for Ashley, now, would it?”

“Again, that’s no concern to you. I think she made herself pretty clear yesterday when she told you to stay away from her. She’s not interested.” He paused a second before continuing, letting his temper get the better of him. “You know, that’s pretty low, Max, even for you, taking advantage of her like that.”

Max laughed, but the humor didn’t reach his face, and Nate fought back the involuntary shudder rising up in him. Max was dangerous, and he was trying his luck standing there, arguing with him—especially after what happened yesterday.

“Is that what she told you? That I ‘took advantage’ of her? Maybe that’s what she needs to say to alleviate the guilt of sleeping with her best friend’s ex-boyfriend on the very night they broke up. The scars on my back tell a much different story. You can’t rape the willing, Nate.”

A sadistic smile spread across Max’s face, making his stomach turn. “I don’t believe your lies,” he said, turning away from him to leave. Max flew up out of his chair with blinding speed and was in his face before Nate could turn around.

“Watch yourself, Nate ol’ boy,” he growled. “I don’t think you realize who you’re messing with. It’d be unfortunate for you if you continue to test me.” The scent of smoke blasted his face as he stood there, frozen in place.

This guy was effing nuts. Nate walked back to his car. “She’s not interested in you, Max. Why don’t you go find someone else to torment?” He climbed into the Escape and pulled the door closed.

He started the engine and backed out of the parking lot. Typically, he wasn’t the kind of guy who’d ever run from a fight, but the look in Max’s eyes told him this guy just wasn’t wired right.

***

Balen looked up from the front porch step as Nate pulled into the driveway. As he approached, it was obvious that the boy looked troubled about something. He held two cups of coffee in his hands and a worried frown on his face as he brushed past Balen, climbing the steps to Ashley’s front door.

It was a good thing he’d stepped over before exiting the house this morning. The poor guy didn’t look like he would handle it very well, seeing Balen here for the second morning in a row. He watched Nate hesitate a moment before using his elbow to ring the doorbell. He stood there uncomfortably shifting his weight from side to side. Balen couldn’t tell if Nate was upset or nervous. Maybe both, he decided, watching him closely.

The front door swung open, and he felt like the wind had been knocked out of him when she displayed a radiant smile that wasn’t for him.

“You’re here early…Oh, coffee! You’re the best!” She stepped outside and accepted the cup Nate offered her.
He returned her smile. It was easy to see this guy had it bad for her. “I thought you could use some coffee. I was hoping to convince you to come kayaking with Liv and me this afternoon.”
They stopped at the steps and sat down right beside Balen. Ashley clutched her cup of coffee with both hands. Her long blonde hair was pulled up into a high ponytail. A gentle breeze blew errant strands of curls toward him. Her sweet scent filled his senses. He closed his eyes and uttered a soft strangled groan.
“Mmm,” she moaned.
His eyes flew back open. She was taking a sip of her coffee.
“This is the best. Thanks again.”
“Don’t mention it. So, how about it? You want to come along with us this afternoon?”
“I don’t think so, but we could still hang out until you have to go?”
Nate hesitated, and the guy looked as if he wanted to say something and wasn’t sure quite sure how to get it out. Something was definitely troubling him.
“Hey, Ash?” Nate asked, casting her a sideways glance.
“Yeah?”
“Umm…you’d tell me if there was something going on between you and Max, right?”
Balen tensed at the mention of Max’s name. It was odd the guy would bring him up…unless Max was starting to hassle him. Were that the case, then Nate was in some serious shit.
Ashley frowned. “Of course I would, and there’s not. I told you that yesterday, so why are we talking about this now?”
“I’m sorry, Ash,” Nate quickly blurted. “I didn’t mean to upset you. It’s just that I ran into him this morning, and he gave me a hard time about seeing you. He seems to think that you two are together or something.”
“Yeah, well, he’s delusional.”
“He’s dangerous, Ash. You know I would protect you from him.” Nate turned to face her and gently took one of her hands. “That is, if you were mine to protect.” As he let the invitation hang there, Balen suddenly felt like all the air had been sucked out of his lungs.
“What are you saying?” she whispered.
Balen knew exactly what Nate was saying, and it took all his self-control not to knock Nate off the front porch step. He stood abruptly and walked away, desperately needing to put some distance between him and Ashley’s suitor before he did something he’d regret. He couldn’t stand to sit here and watch this for another second, yet for some sadistic reason, he couldn’t seem to look away.
Nate sat his coffee cup down and took her hand in his. “Ash, I really like you. I mean, I really, really like you. I want for us to be
more
than friends.”
Balen forced himself to keep moving. He stopped beside Nate’s car, his feet refusing to take one more step until he heard her answer. The solid lump in his throat threatened to suffocate him. Frustrated with himself for his weakness and lack of emotional control, he abruptly spun around and walked away. He’d traveled a pretty far distance when Ashley’s fear hit him.