The Dark Rising (The Hidden of Vrohkaria Book Two)
The Dark Rising: Chapter 36

Darius continues to shove his cum back into my pussy, circling my clit teasingly every now and again. I lay totally spent beneath him, catching my breath as pleasure still thrums through me. He always makes me feel alive in those moments, seen even, but as I come down from my orgasm, the reality of what we just did sets in. Again.

I lean up and move myself away from him, closing my legs as my cheeks heat. His stare moves from my legs to my face, turning hard at the distance I’ve put between us. I swallow hard.

Darius sees the look on my face and his jaw ticks, his fists clenching on his thighs as he sits back and puts himself away. “Don’t do that, little wolf,” he murmurs quietly, a warning.

I shake my head. “That shouldn’t have happened.”

He growls. “Enough. Stop saying that. It’s inevitable and you know it. It’s something we both can’t escape even if we wanted to. And I don’t want to.”

“We can go to others, try and stem the ache.” Like I could. I won’t be able to stand anyone touching me like he does, and it’s hard to ignore my body’s needs when I’m near him, the hunger he’s created inside of me.

He lunges forward suddenly, his hand wrapped around my throat as he brings me closer so we are nose to nose. “You so much as look at another male with lust filling your pretty eyes, and I will pin him to the wall where he can watch me fuck you for days. Then I’ll take his eyes for seeing you like that before I take his heart and eat it for fucking dinner,” he growls. “Do not test me on that, Rhea. You won’t like the consequences.”

I shouldn’t feel all tingly with that declaration of his possession, but I can’t help shifting where I sit, feeling more wetness between my thighs mixing in with our releases.

I bite my lip. I have no doubt he will do it, I can’t say I won’t do the same if someone else touches him. Just the thought has my hackles rising. He may be possessive of me, but I think I am of him too.

This is all twisted up, a mess of emotions and want, and a desire for each other when so much has happened between us. We can’t let what has happened affect what we are trying to do now. We can’t let it stop us from spilling the Highers’ blood, getting my pack and replaceing those that had been taken.

I sigh, resigned but give him a nod. “The same applies to you then,” I tell him. Needing him to know that he cannot make demands of me without having demands of my own.

“I don’t want anyone else, the only one I want wrapped around my cock is you. You have my word,” he tells me instantly, his eyes bouncing between mine.

“I’ve come to realize your word means shit, Darius.”

He applies a little more pressure on my throat before he rubs his thumb across the bottom of my jaw. He seems to think for a moment before he speaks again.

“I didn’t know you were innocent,” he says, the first that he has been close to admitting what he did out loud to me. “Your words were always half truths and lies, Rhea, we both don’t trust each other. We are both aiming for the same thing now. Stop the Highers and get rid of the rogures. On this, we can work together and have added benefits.” His gaze goes over to the bite mark on my shoulder that he gave me, his eyes heating before they come back to mine. “Let’s make a blood oath.”

I jolt, my eyes wide. “We can’t do that.”

“We can and we will. It’s the only way we can trust each other for the time being.” I think on his words, and I know he’s right. We would never trust the other fully, unless there was a safety net in place.

“Okay,” I whisper, and he releases my throat and sits in front of me. I get comfortable, grabbing my shorts and putting them back on, feeling his eyes on my every move. Then I sit in front of him, our knees touching. “How do you know about blood oaths anyway?” I wonder. “They are of the Gods that no one blesses anymore.”

“We are wolves. Even though we don’t worship them since Cazier earned the title of the Mad Wolf, they still gave us our wolves. Gave us life,” he says. “I’ve learned a lot about the old Gods, reading tomes and going back in history when they roamed the lands. With me being the Heir of Cazier, I needed to know more than what I was taught.”

“And what did you learn?”

“I learned that we never should have abandoned the Gods, we never should have listened to the lies that were taught and drip-fed to us since we were pups. Even if Cazier was mad, he wasn’t born that way. It was a cruel twist of fate that his mate walked a different path.”

“You don’t care for mates, so I’m surprised you feel that way.”

“I don’t.” He eyes me. “And neither do you.” Truth. But much has changed. “But what if he was stuck with Zahariss? How can we punish the Gods for something out of their control?”

“The Gods left us though,” I grumble, hating the thought. But where else could they be if they didn’t abandon us? “My mom taught me everything she could about the Gods, information you can’t replace in books.” I look down and rub my legs. “It wasn’t fair for them to have people turn their backs on them when they made us. We owe them a lot, at least our gratefulness.”

“Kyt,” he says, and my head snaps up. He smirks, his eyes light in amusement. “I told you I know some of the language.” He shakes his head on a chuckle at my surprise while my heart threatens to beat outside my chest. “I took some scrolls and books from the Highers library. I was looking for them when we were dropping off updated Elites rosters. They were hidden away by a concealment spell so they obviously didn’t want it to be found. Unlucky for them, they didn’t expect an Heir to go hunting for it.”

“Kyt?” Yes.

He smiles. “Kyt”.

I raise a brow. “Zie lebahn brier” You learn fast.

He chuckles. “Kyt, dah lebahn brier.” Yes, I learn fast.

I let out a small laugh. I can’t help the giddy feeling rising within me at someone else knowing the language of the Gods. It’s as much a part of me as it is breathing, and I’ve missed being able to speak it with someone. It’s a shock to hear him speak the language so dear to me, to my family. “Do you know all of it?”

His eyes move, once again looking at my shoulder where he bit me. “Most, Vihnarn.” I freeze at his words, that giddy feeling turning to dread as his eyes slowly come back to mine.

“You lied,” I utter, looking away. “You said you didn’t know what that meant.” I’m not sure how I feel about him knowing what that means, or that I lied about it. He doesn’t look angry though.

A strong, gentle hand cups my jaw and turns me back to face him. Darius shakes his head slowly, his eyes so clear. “There is nothing that could be done, you know that. We both didn’t want this, but we have to live with it.”

“We don’t have to,” I whisper. As soon as the words are out of my mouth, something revolts inside of me. Darius’s eyes flash black. Another warning.

“We do. I won’t have it any other way. I don’t want it any other way. I’ll look after you, Rhea.” I blow out a shaky breath, a light filling me within, wanting to believe him. “Under the moonlight, little wolf.”

My body warms as we stare at each other, once again narrowing everything down to just the two of us. This pull, this connection we have, it could destroy me. More than anyone else ever did. I feel his possession though, his protectiveness of me, and I can’t say I don’t enjoy it, welcome it even. No one has looked out for me like this. Well, maybe Josh, but not this way where it goes beyond sibling connections.

I bring up my hand and bring his palm to my cheek, leaning into his touch, his warmth. Just once letting my walls drop a little and accepting it fully. He strokes my cheekbone and leans forward, touching his nose with mine. We breathe one another in, letting our scents wrap around each other before his lips gently claim mine. It’s a devastating kiss. One that evoked feeling and want. Not just need.

Darius’s mouth moves against mine gently, small little nips to my lips before he slows down. I break the kiss, overwhelmed by him, overwhelmed by the conflicted feelings within me. I breath out a shaky breath and he moves his hand off my throat, running along my shoulder until he gets to the bite he left there. I shiver as he runs a finger over it before he finally pulls away.

“So, blood oath,” I say, clearing my throat. I can’t get into this now.

A part of me wants to scream at the unfairness, scream at Darius about what he did to me. Another wants to fall into his arms so he can maybe make me feel just a slither of peace for a moment.

He sighs, but nods. Raising my right arm to him, Darius stills, his body locking unnaturally as silver flecks dance in his eyes as they darken. My brows furrow, and I follow his intense gaze to my arm.

Now it’s me that stills.

I try to move my arm back, but Darius shoots his hand out and grabs my wrist, pulling my arm closer to him. He brings his other hand up and trails his fingers from above my wrist to the middle of my forearm. Goosebumps appear in the wake of his touch, following his path. He circles the space in the center, tracing the subtle pattern that’s appearing there.

I follow his hand, mesmerized by it as tingles begin under the surface where he’s touching. My chest warms. I bring my free hand up and rub the spot, shifting where I sit, slightly. I move my gaze along his muscular arm, to his shoulder and to the side of his neck until I move to his jaw. Then finally his eyes.

No words pass between us as I replace his stare on me. There is nothing to say as our bodies speak for us. Still holding my wrist in his grasp, he grabs the collar of his t-shirt and pulls it down so I have the full view of his neck. I suck in a sharp breath, my hand shaking as I reach forward and trace the marking that appears. He makes a soft sound deep in his chest when my fingers touch his warm skin, his eyes heating. I move back suddenly and he releases my wrist.

“Why is it there?” I whisper.

“I’m not sure, it was the space given to me.” I nod. “I know it’s not the normal space, but then, we are not normal, are we?” We aren’t. “The blood oath,” he murmurs huskily, and I once again give him my right arm. He shakes his head. “The other one.” I pause for a moment before complying.

He brings my left hand up to his lips, kissing my wrist before moving just above it. His eyes flicker to mine, those flecks still there as he bites down. I flinch at the sharp pain, gritting my teeth as he pierces me further. Blood wells around his mouth, eyes still intent on mine before he gently pulls away. He licks the wound, tasting my blood before he raises his left arm.

I take his hand in mine, so large compared to mine, and pull forward until my mouth hovers just further above his wrist. I hesitate. A blood oath isn’t something to take lightly, in fact, it’s not allowed anymore, made forbidden by the Highers. It seems Darius really couldn’t give a shit about Highers laws anymore, and for that, I’m glad.

Darius locks our fingers together where I still hold his hand. He squeezes reassuringly. I take a deep breath and then move my mouth to the heat of his skin. I waste no more time and bite down. My canines instantly break through and his blood rushes into my mouth. Darius growls softly, and I look at him as I bite down further. He grabs the obvious erection through his pants, and I raise a brow, letting his blood run down my throat.

He smirks, eyes wicked as he licks his lips. I roll mine and move back, my canines sliding out of him as I lick around the bite. I let go of his hand and sit back, then wait.

“I make this oath in truth,” he starts. “Break the oath and break the bond. I make this oath through blood that I will not be a danger to the twin oath bearer.”

“I make this oath in truth,” I repeat. “Break the oath and break the bond. I make this oath through blood that I will not be a danger to the twin oath bearer.”

“For sacrifice we forfeit,” we conclude at the same time.

Magic tingles through the air, and I look down at the bite mark Darius gave me. It glows, the pale light following the pattern of his teeth rapidly, until it shines violet before dimming. His bite mark will be a permanent spot on my skin until it’s broken, only to be seen if we allow it.

What’s another mark on my body?

I start to feel dizzy, more exhaustion drowning me again and I slump forward into Darius. He grabs me by the waist, maneuvering me until I’m straddling his lap and he guides my face to his neck underneath his jaw. I nuzzle his skin, humming slightly at the scent of him as my eyes close. Letting myself go for just a moment with him.

“Zier ny lumniva, little wolf.” You’re my moonlight.

I go to speak when a ferocious growl sounds around us, and my heart beats wildly in my chest. Darius stands, bringing me with him and placing me behind him. Darkness seems to shrink in on us, and blue eyes pierce within. I go to step around Darius, toward who is mine.

“Runa,” I call gently, and the growl stops briefly, a whine coming from her. Tears sting my eyes as I pass Darius to her, but he grabs me and hauls me to his chest. His arm comes around my waist, my back to him as I lock eyes on my wolf.

I’ve never seen her like this before, I’ve only ever felt her strongly.

“Runa, come to me,” I plead with her, but a howl rents the air, and then the feeling of being compressed hits me, like it would if we had ported.

Light shines through my closed eyes lids, and I blink them open, looking around the willow fields. She banished us out.

Darius’s breath hits my ear on a chuckle. “Stubborn as you.” I huff. “We will guide her out, no matter what. Trust me.”

Trust me. He says that a lot lately, and with the blood oath he just expects that to happen? There are still secrets between us, and we haven’t even spoken in depth about what happened at Wolvorn Castle. At this point, I don’t think we ever will.

So how am I supposed to move past that niggle in the back of my mind reminding me of how much he hurt me?

I can’t, and I’m not sure I ever will because he doesn’t even acknowledge it.

Yes we are civil, working toward a common goal.

But my heart still hurts, and unfortunately, the one who hurt it is the only one who can fix it.