Page 243 of Dark Souls

“I’m sorry.”

I blinked up at the ceiling with a deep frown and my fingers stopped caressing his hair. “Why are you sorry?”

“For the way I left you that night. I just realised I never apologised.”

I licked my lips. “Yeah. I’m not going to lie. It fucking sucked.” I smiled a little sadly but felt his whole body tense so I quickly added, “But I understand why you did it. You thought you were protecting me. You knew how dangerous getting involved with you would have been.”

“It was still a shitty thing to do. Even without my humanity, it ate me up inside. I thought I was doing you a favour by leaving. I was barely existing and I had nothing to offer you like a soulmate should have. But now I know how wrong I was. I just hate that I hurt you.”

I leaned down and kissed the top of his head. “I forgive you, Luka. You need to forgive yourself.”

“I’m trying.” He lifted his head and looked at me. The emotion in his eyes was hard to get used to after only ever seeing rage or numbness for so long but it was beautiful. “Hence my do over.”

I smiled widely. “Do over achieved. This is a night I will never forget.”

“Good.” He smiled too and then slowly eased himself out of me. He rolled onto my side and snuggled me into his arms.

“Oh my god, are we cuddling? After sex?” I teased and he scoffed.

“Get used to it. I’m a cuddler beneath the hard ass attitude. So are you. Don’t think I haven’t seen the way you’ve softened, spitfire.”

I rolled my eyes. But he had a point. I traced my fingers of the fresh ink of my initials and sighed with contentment.

“I’ve been offered a job,” I whispered.

He continued playing with strands of my hair between his fingers as he said from above, “Oh yeah? Doing what and by who?”

“Director Brooks. He’s the boss at the SIA where my uncle and auntie work as supernatural agents. You know, it’s how I first met Heathen.”

Luka chuckled. “Yeah, Heathen had lots of fun filling me in on all of that. He says congrats, Snow. It’s what you wanted, right?”

I leaned up on my elbows, placing my chin on his chest. “I guess.” Luka frowned, giving me a look that forced me to continue. “I thought it was because I loved the danger aspect. I loved that I would be doing my bit to help by dealing with the villains or dangerous supernaturals of the world. But now, I’m not so sure.”

“Because of me and Heathen?” Luka clarified.

I nodded. “I’m not saying agents aren’t needed. Because they are but I have realised something over the last few months. The SIA and even my parents, they have rules in place for everyone to follow to keep the majority safe, but by the time a supernatural becomes a threat, it’s almost too late. What if instead of dealing with the problem after they’ve become one, we tried to actually stop them from becoming one in the first place?”

Luka studied me for a few seconds as the slow realisation of where I was going with this dawned on him. “You’re talking aboutThe Underground?”

I sat up with excitement and stared down at him. “Think about it.The Undergroundoffers supernaturals who have that darkness, those primal urges that they struggle to control, a safe space for them to release them without judgment. If we made it more accessible to all supernaturals, not just the wealthiest, then surely it would have a positive impact on crime rates and impulse murders. We could keep a VIP sign-up for the wealthy to bring in funds but also make events accessible to all who want to attend. Am I crazy to think that we could help people like us before they ruin their lives?”

Luka ran his hand down his face but I was relieved to see a smile hiding beneath it. “People like us? And by that, you mean…”

“Psychopaths, obviously.” He burst out laughing. I laughed too but more out of nerves. I just realised how much I wanted this. “Do you not agree? That if most of the unhinged had a controlled environment to go to, that they wouldn’t pose such a danger to humanity? We could still run events but use the green list as victims. Take the worst of society and allow the worst of supernaturals to release hell on them. Killing two birds with one stone, so to speak.”

“And what of the psychopaths who really are just psychopaths and can’t be controlled?”

“That’s what the SIA and my parents are there for.”

“You’ve really thought this all through, huh, love?” He smirked, running his hand through his hair. “And who would runThe Underground? Me and you? Together?”

“It’s a solid plan. Luka, you already have a feared reputation there. Once everyone knows about Heathen too, no one will dare cross you. And you practically ran to that place, anyway. You organised all the events, you have access to all the members and contracts. Together, I really think we could make it work for a good purpose.” I let my excitement dissolve a little and turned serious. “But I completely understand if you don’t want to do this. If it’s too close or you want to cut all association with it.”

He stared at me for a long moment before his face broke with reluctant amusement. “I suppose it’s about time I actually started to reap the benefits of forty years of hard work.”

“Really? You want to do this? And Heathen?” I clapped my hands.

“Heathen says yes, on one condition.”