Taming Darkness
Epilogue

~ALEERA~

The room is suffused in inky darkness, only interrupted by the gentle luminescence of the moonlight spilling through the curtains. I can feel Darius' warm breath on my neck, slow and rhythmic. Every instinct tells me to stay, but a dark compulsion tugs at my soul. The sweet scent of lavender wafts from the sheets, and I carefully slide my leg over him, trying to remain unnoticed.

He stirs, a soft moan escaping his lips. My heart hammers in my chest. I'm frozen, hoping he's still lost in his dreams. The room remains silent, save for our shared breaths.

Slow, heavy breaths create a lulling rhythm as I watch him, but the darkness inside me churns, beckoning me to follow its call. A call I can't say no to, one I've kept secret. However, I believe Darius is on to me. I rise. The siren song of vengeance is irresistible tonight. And despite Darius' recent suspicions, I can't help myself. I'm careful not to disturb Darius, but the dark pull is all-consuming. I must heed its call or wake him up.

But within, only the silent whispers of a house asleep. I steal into the room next door, where my children dream in the glow of nightlights.

Their chests rise and fall in a synchronized rhythm. Ryze, majestic as ever, stares at me from his perch on my daughter's bedhead, flames dancing gently around his Phoenix form. The light from his flames casts eerie, dancing shadows around the room. "Watch them," I whisper, running a hand along her gleaming beak. Her eyes lock onto mine, an unspoken promise. Ryze, so used to my midnight escapades, acknowledges my passing with a low coo. She watches over our children every night, bonding with them as she has me. Yet, she knows the night's wicked games.

Drawing upon my power, I open a portal. The shimmering space before me reveals a lavish room, and I step into Lysander's sanctuary. This place, with its ornate bed and plush furnishings, has seen too many of my hauntings.

My feet barely make no sound on the cold marble floor. But my presence, my energy, is palpable. Lysander lies sprawled across his bed, the sheet twisted around his leg. I lean in, watching the man who once believed he held power over my destiny. My lips part, releasing a haunting whistle.

His eyes flutter, a frown marring his features. He's not quite awake yet. Not quite aware of the nightmare that awaits. I summon the darkness within me, willing myself to a shadow, ethereal and invisible. Whispers, soft and sibilant, dance around the room, echoing back to me.

The fear in his gaze is instantaneous as he awakens. His eyes search wildly. The fear, it's tangible. I can taste it. Drawing on the memories that haunt him most, I morph into the image of his deceased wife. Karla, her golden locks, her familiar face. Lysander's breath catches, his eyes widening in horror and disbelief. "Karla?" he rasps.

His voice draws me in like a moth to a flame. "Come replace me," I beckon, my voice a haunting mix of mine and hers.

Lysander stumbles out of his bed, reaching for the bat he keeps by his bed. My laughter echoes, ethereal and otherworldly, as I lead him on a game of hide and seek. The mansion becomes my playground, a haunted maze.

When he reaches the living room, lights start flickering to life. I slide into a dimly lit hallway, my voice transforming into a ghostly siren call. The sadness in his eyes, the raw vulnerability, gives me pause. "Please... just let me rest," he begs, tears streaming down his face. A whimper wracks his body, but my cruel and haunting laughter fills the space between us.

His eyes dart around, his terror evident. Before he can fully take in the entire room, I meld into the shadows and flick the lights back off, my voice a chilling whisper. "Why did you let him hurt me, Lysander? Didn't you love me?" Lysander's breath becomes ragged, fear tainting his every move as his hand scrambles around for the light switch.

"Why did you let me die?" My voice is a cold echo of Karla's, reverberating through the room, and he spins the bat swinging wildly. I flick the light on, and he pivots, but I'm already gone.

With each step he takes, I lead him deeper into his haunted mansion. Candles flicker, casting shadows that dance and taunt him. He turns, hearing a ghostly giggle, feeling a cold touch on his shoulder, but seeing nothing. "What do you want from me?" His voice is desperate, pleading.

"You let me die," I hiss, letting the shadows wrap around him. He's on the verge of a breakdown, each echo, each whisper driving another nail into his psyche.

"Why? Why must I suffer this way?" Tears streamed down his face. A broken man tormented by his own guilt and the ghosts of his past.

"Because you deserve it," I murmur, my voice a serpentine whisper.

He falls to his knees in the living room, surrounded by shadows and echoes of laughter.

"Karla, I'm so sorry!" he cries out, the weight of his guilt and sorrow palpable in the room.

Behind him, I tap softly, a light, mocking touch, before disappearing. The chilling sound of my laughter fills the space.

"Sorry, it won't save you now," I whisper right next to his ear.

Suddenly, I feel a vice grip on my arm, pulling me into the darkness of the hallway. A hand clamps over my mouth as I am pressed against the wall and I come face to face with my mate. Darius' face, a mask of anger and concern, confronts me. "You play a dangerous game, Aleera," he hisses. But even he can't hide the glint of excitement in his eyes. He's not here to save Lysander; he's here for me.

His voice, dripping with sinister charm, teases, "Aleera, my wicked Queen, you know how to paint a horror show." He laughs wickedly as he peers around the corner at Lysander on his knees, begging Karla's ghost for reprieve.

"Why should he rest, when his sins scream so loudly?" I retort, my form shifting into Karla's once more.

Lysander's face is a canvas of torment. "Karla... please...."

Darius moves closer, and our energies entwine. His darkly seductive and I feel my magic pull on his, drawing on it as he leans closer, his lips grazing mine.

"Seeing you like this," Darius breathes, his voice husky, "it's intoxicating." He purrs.

I smirk, a wicked glint in my eyes. "I'm just getting started." I purr when he grips my throat. He applies pressure but not enough to hurt me, his lips tugging up as he unleashes his magic, flooding me with euphoria. "Oh, you're done for tonight," he laughs, his eyes flickering dangerously, daring me to fight him.

Darius' face inches closer, his fiery gaze searing into mine. "You're tempting darkness, Aleera," he whispers darkly.

I tilt my head, my lips brushing against his. "Maybe I've developed a taste for it," I murmur, my voice a sultry purr.

Darius' eyes darken further, his grip on me tightening. "You think you can tame it?" he challenges.

"I thought I already had," I reply with a defiant glint in my eye.

Darius chuckles, a deep, rumbling sound that sends shivers down my spine. "I'm not the one that needs taming, love."

He leans closer, pressing his entire body flush against mine, his hot breath fanning my ear. "The more you pull at my darkness, the more I crave the taste of yours."

A playful smirk forms on my lips. "What if I want you to drown in it?"

His fingers trace the contours of my face, a devious smile forming. "I've always been one for deep dives, especially when there's a dark siren luring me in." "Maybe I won't let you come up for air?"

His grip on my waist tightens. "I'd rather drown in your darkness than live a moment without it." Suddenly, Darius waves his hand in the air and shoves me through a portal, and in a split second, we're back in our realm. Before I can react, his hands are on my thighs, lifting me up against our bedroom wall. My legs instinctively wrap around his waist as he presses himself firmly against me.

His lips crash against mine hungrily while his hands tug and pull at my clothes when we both freeze, the sound of soft footwalls making us still. "Daddy, will you tuck me in?" comes our daughter's voice. Darius glances down at her, using his body to shield my top half, when suddenly she is scooped up by Tobias.

"I don't even want to know, but take it in the bedroom, not in the hall," he scolds, wandering back to her room to tuck her back in. Darius chuckles darkly and kisses me when suddenly the wall behind my back is gone, and it becomes yet another portal. My lips pull away from his, and I glance around to replace we are in the attic.

"This is not our room?" I tell him.

"You're right, it's not, but for once, I want you all to myself," he smiles wickedly, and his eyes flicker dangerously.

Book 1 Tempting Darkness

Book 2 Tasting Darkness

Book 3 Taming Darkness