Page 51 of Darkest Before Dawn (His Perfect Darkness #2)

She’s too afraid to stand up and leave her bed. Her instincts scream at her to run, but she can’t move.

And then the door opens, and a huge figure stands between her and the scary heat in the hall.

She’s too frozen to cry out, but maybe if she doesn’t move, he won’t see her.

But the monster does see her. “It’s okay,” he says, moving toward her. His steps are silent, as if he’s made of shadow. She should be afraid of him, but something tells her he’s a nice monster.

He says, “Your mom and dad are waiting. I’m going to get you out.”

And then she’s in his arms. She’s still wrapped in her favorite yellow blanket and clutching Binky to her chest. Safe.

“Close your eyes,” the shadow monster says, and she does. The heat flares, making her flinch. There’s a roaring sound that swallows up the tinkling of glass breaking before night air is cool on her face. She feels like she’s flying.

And then it’s over. She’s set down on the ground. It’s cold, but she has her blanket.

“Oh my gods,” someone screams. “She’s here. She’s okay.” It’s her mother, crying, “Baby, you okay?”

Her father pulls her into his arms.

She opens her eyes, but there’s no sign of the monster. She turns her head, searching. There he is, slipping into the shadows. Becoming one with the darkness. But she knows he’ll be back if she ever needs help.

“What happened?” Her mother cups her face, drawing her attention back to her parents. Their eyes are wide and frightened, but she doesn’t feel scared.

“It was the monster, Mama. He saved me.”

Inara

I sit huddled in Rex’s office chair. Hamish was here earlier and brought me a mug of tea, but I haven’t touched it.

My eyes are glued to the TV screen where a news reporter is standing outside a burning apartment building. “The building was home to over seven hundred tenants. Preliminary evidence points to an electrical issue that started the fire?—”

I mute the sound. I can’t take it anymore. The camera pans away from the reporter, showing the fire trucks lining the streets. Next to one ambulance, a little girl stands clutching a worn yellow blanket and stuffed animal. My breath catches. It’s her. The girl in my dream. She’s alive.

The door opens and Rex walks in, the silky hair at his temples still sweaty like he just stripped off his protective helmet. He smells like smoke.

I burst into tears.

“Hey,” he says and crouches down, letting me pour myself into his arms. Then we’re seated together, and he’s nuzzling me. “It’s okay. The fire’s almost out. No one was hurt.”

I can’t speak. There’s a pain in my chest, but it’s purging. Rex seems to understand. He strokes my back and lets me cry it out.

“You did it,” I say. “You saved them.”

“No.” He cups my face and thumbs away my tears. “You did.”

I sob harder because it’s true. It’s true, and it feels so right. My emotions bleed out of me, one tear at a time. It’s cathartic, a baptism.

“You did it.” He kisses my wet cheek. “No more hiding. You told me about your visions. You let me help you.”

Now I know why I held so much back, why I kept myself behind thick, impenetrable walls. I needed someone who would conquer me. Someone strong enough to stand in the breach between me and my nightmares.

I needed him. And now that I have him, I can let go. From now on, I can live fully as myself. No fear.

“I’m so glad you found me,” I tell him, and he sighs against my mouth.

“I am too.”

We hold tight, gazing into each other’s eyes. It’s almost too much, overwhelming our ability to speak. It’s enough to be together, breathing together, feeling the moment between us swell into something sweeter. A sense of belonging, a quiet joy that will last the rest of our lives.

The next morning, I wake from the most delicious dream. Rex is slumbering next to me, so I move carefully to keep from waking him. I roll toward the side table where I keep my sketchbook.

As I draw, I relive it.

The garden is filled with topiaries and jasmine-covered arches. Rex and I are strolling hand in hand.

Shrieks of laughter in the distance. A hide-and-seek game. I tug Rex’s hand, wanting to walk quicker to get a glimpse of the children playing in the labyrinth.

And I see her. A small child, only tall enough that her head comes up to my hip. Two dark braids down her back. She turns, and I catch the curve of her chubby cheek. She looks like me but has Rex’s dark eyes.

“I’m hiding from my brudders,” she tells me in her little girl voice. I lean down, and her eyes sparkle. My skin tingles with the magic. “I lub you, Mama,” she says sweetly and smiles.

When Rex rouses, I’m wiping away tears.

“What is it?” He orders a light on. When he sees the tear tracks shining on my face, he grows sober. “Did you have another bad dream? Another vision?”

“No,” I choke out. I don’t want him to worry, so I give him a watery smile. “I saw something beautiful.”

“What did you see?”

“Us.” I turn the sketchbook toward him. “I saw all of us.”

His brow furrows as he takes in the page. The face of a child with dark eyes. Rex’s eyes. “Our daughter,” I say and watch hope light his face. I turn the page and show him the rest. “Our sons. Our family.”

His head drops, and his body shudders as if he’s overcome. I know how he’s feeling. It’s strange to be so happy. Strange, but I’m getting used to it. It’s my new way of life.

I cup his cheek with one hand. “I love you.”

He turns his face and kisses my palm. His tears leave my fingers wet. “I was born to love you.”

In the end, we get to have it all.

I’m not crying. You’re crying! I hope you loved the story of Inara and Rex.

I have plans to return to New Rome and our crime-fighting couple in Joker’s story. But first, Kaiser and Poison Ivy get their story in His Perfect Possession .

Before you ask, yes, St. James is getting a book. I’ve been plotting it since 2020 when I wrote St. James into the end of Beauty and the Rose , but he’s such a dark character I needed a bit more time to ease into his level of sadism.

Victor already has his book! Read Vengeance is Mine here. It is dark and intense.

Happy reading!