Tasting Darkness

Read Taming Darkness By Jessica Hall Book 3 Chapter 35 - Putting a hand to my lips, | gasped. | was the cure.

The way to stop the plagues all along. Darius may have created the first plague, but | created the cure. Porter sn*tched my wrist, “Please, take care of Lycus. Tell him I'm sorry,” he whispered through blackened lips. “I was never the husband his mother deserved, or the father | should have been to him.” He took a pained breath, wincing.

More blood spewed from his mouth and down his chin, and he groaned in pain. It was obvious, whatever my mother had done, he was causing immense suffering. There was so much blood, | couldn’t figure out how he was possibly alive.

Had he held onto life to givethese vials? | stared down at the man that had caused so much pain and suffering and instead of the hatred that usually licked away at my insides, | found pity. | held my hand near his head.

“Ill take care of him,” | promised. Porter let out a breath and nodded his head weakly, closing his eyes. “I know | don’t deserve it, but I'm sorry.” Porter mumbled, his hands twitched as his muscles spasmed.

(( He would never forgive me,” Porter choked out. “Maybe in another lifetyou can make it up to him,” | whisper, it was clear he was terrified of dying. “I don’t want Lycus to do it... | don’t want it on his soul. | have caused him enough pain.

He will feel obligated, | know my son..” | understood what he meant, if | walked away and left him and Lycus learned he was down here suffering, he would cdown to put him out of his misery.

“I understand if you won't, you owenothing,” Porter rasped, sprayingin blood. | wasn’t sure how much longer he could hold on, but it was obvious his magic hadn't burned out, and he was trying to heal himself.

| cupped his cheek with my hand. “I don’t think | can heal you without bonding you to me,” “I'm not asking that, | am asking you to kill me,” he said, opening his eyes and looking at me. ” Don’t make him do it, he hates me, but | know deep inside, he still loves Why else would he crunning every t| summoned him?” He coughed and | nodded. | knew mostly for Kalen, but part of him longed for his father, he had no reason to do as his father asked once he was with Darius and Tobias.

| let out a shaky breath and nod. “I don’t like you, but | forgive you, >> I told him, holding up the vials to show him that | had them safely. “Do you think Lycus may one day forgive me?” He said it with a deep sigh, the way a condemned man whispers right before their sentence is carried out.

| tilt my head to the side, watching him. “Maybe, maybe when he forgives himself for not saving her,” | whispered and his tears send blood streaking his cheek. “Thank you,” he choked out before closing his eyes. | summoned my magic. | couldn't let him suffer.

He deserved to, but he was Lycus’ father and his remorse was enough forto end him quickly. Fire spiraled from my hand and consumed him, turning him into ash on the spot. | sighed, glancing down at the black spot his body left.

Tucking the vials away into my pocket, | straightened and looked away from what used to be Lycus’ father.

Nothing would swayfrom my mission to find my mother and put an end to this chaos all around me.

On the floor below, the power hunters’ screams were being cut off one-by-one. | almost wished | was downstairs to watch the Harmony Fae taking their revenge on those who had tormented them. From the sounds of it, none of the hunters would be making it up the stairs.

Yet as | took in my surroundings, eyes searching, | spotted her. There was their Queen, darting out of another room far down the hall. She was running, a case clutched for dear life in her hand. Something, | wouldn't let her leave with.

| tore off after her, my footsteps echoing down the hall. “Lidia!” | screamed, almost roared at her with all the anger and hatred that was compressed inside. She froze in place and her head jerked as she saw me.

“Aleera! Cwith me,” she offered with a wide grin. “We can rule together!” She was definitely more insane than I'd ever imagined if she thought | was going to fall for this. Me, join her? Never, even if she somehow brainwashed me, | would off myself before | would fall prey to her. “I will never join you, Lidia. You hadnot because you wanted me, a child to love, but because you wanted a weapon to exact your revenge and lust for power.

| was just a means to an end for you.” A shadow flitted across her face, making her appear dark and sinister.

“You would pick them over me?” she spat the words out at me. “His kind are the reason the Seraphim are no more! He is the reason the plague killed all the light Fae! You would still choose him knowing all that?” “No,” the word boomed out ofand for a second her c***+y confidence wavered, | got to see her fear.

“Darius never started the plague. You and my father used him, just like you used me. All of this the plague and what cof it was to settle an age-old score and so you could sit on the ultimate seat of power. All of this tyou knew | was the cure, and you wanted to use that and dangleabout like stoy.

| will always choose my mates above you, especially Darius.” My words struck home. Pure hatred flashed in her eyes and she screamed like a possessed banshee before charging straight at me. | stopped her mid-lunge, holding her in place with my magic. Her eyes were wide, clearly she wasn’t expecting this.