Darkest Temptation (The Dark Ones Saga 4)

I wouldn’t be enough to make them stay.

“I had a mate,” Mason whispered, “before.”

“What happened to her?” Jealousy flared to life over this nameless, faceless woman who’d shared his heart like mine — who’d kissed his lips and touched his skin. I wanted to rip her face off.

Mason tensed next to me. “It would be easier to tell you the story if you stopped thinking of all the graphic ways you could dismember her.”

I gasped. “Werewolves don’t read minds.”

“Not typically…” He sighed. “…no.”

“How?”

“That’s not the story you asked for, and it’s not one I know how to tell.” He gave his head a shake. “She was frail. I always imagined I’d be mated to a warrior, someone who understood my needs, who allowed me to take care of them. And she did all those things — but I always felt fear from her. It made her love feel tainted. It made me feel like I wasn’t doing enough to keep her happy, to keep her safe.” His voice cracked. “We had just found out she was with child when I woke up to find her dead next to me, no explanation, no reasoning. We’d been together so long we’d wrongly assumed that we were safe, that she was safe.”

I gasped and covered my mouth with a shaking hand. “I’m so sorry.”

“So am I,” Mason whispered. “So am I.” He moved and stood in front of me, his blue eyes locking onto me with such intensity I was afraid to breathe. “When balance was restored, and Ethan married Genesis, a war broke out, a war we cannot fight unless we’re at our strongest.”

I was afraid of where this was going. “My parents said something was coming. They just never said what. They didn’t involve themselves with immortal gossip. They thought they were above it.”

“Gossip?” Mason ground out. “And why do you talk about them like they no longer—” His eyes searched, found the answer on my face, and then looked away. “I’m sorry too. It’s a hollow feeling, one that is never quite filled again.”

I nodded. “So, what now?”

He looked hesitant and then almost embarrassed.

“Mason?”

“I, uh…” He jerked away from me so fast the moment shattered. He ran a hand through his shaggy hair and then eyed the door as if it were a narrow escape route he may not make in time. “…I should.” He gave his head a shake, his eyes going from brown to blue then back again.

“Mason?” When I said his name a second time his eyes stayed a blazing blue. I held my hand out to him. “Mason, are you okay?”

He went completely still. “Don’t speak.”

I gave him a small nod as he closed his eyes and looked like he tried to breathe with great effort. I didn’t want to be afraid, but if he attacked me again, there would be no way to fight it, no way to fight him off whatever.

“Can’t.” He shuddered. “I can’t anymore.”

I stood.

He held out his hand to stop me; it shook as his fingers snapped and twisted, revealing a giant claw that could rip me in half if I breathed wrong.

“Mason, listen to my voice.” I was basically worthless as a vampire. I was fast, but not fast enough to escape him, and not strong enough to overthrow him.

Weak.

Is that why they left?

Why everyone leaves?

“Ever since you came…” His chest heaved. “…I have no control.” His teeth snapped together as the muscles in his neck flexed like they were seconds from snapping. “Just stay the

hell away from me!” he roared.

He jerked the door open, and it went flying behind him, slamming against the wall nearest the bathroom.

I took cover as a piece of wood flung in my direction and hit me in the elbow.