Page 9 of Pretty Little Shadow
I rolled my eyes at him again.
He sprawled his legs out in front of him, and we were both quiet for a few minutes. It wasn't tense, though. Or awkward, like it usually would've been for me.
"What are your scars from?" he asked.
"Nope. Not talking about that either."
"Want to talk about mine first?"
I glanced sideways at him.
Maybe I did.
At least a little.
"I'll tell you about my scars if you answer one of the two questions I already asked you." He lifted a finger. "What you're doing here, or what your scars are from."
"You're obnoxious."I hated how much I liked it.
"Being obnoxious makes life more fun."
"For you, maybe."
"Deal?" He offered me a hand.
"I'm notbargainingfor that." I took a swig of my beer, looking away from him again. "But fine. Tell me about your scars, and I'll answer one of your questions."
"Honestly, and fully."
"Alright. You first."
"I don't let myself think about the details," Darius said, his voice growing quieter. "I was a kid whose magic made adults feel like they were getting off. Constantly. They chained me up. Used me. Not my body, but my power. The constant high made them feel more powerful. Every time I tried to escape, they beat me. I eventually learned how to use that part of my magic to myadvantage, and got out. Found my family. Now, my life is less hellish. Or hellish in different ways, I guess."
"What ways?"
Darius flashed me a laid-back grin. "If you want more answers from me, you have to talk first."
I scoffed, but debated inwardly. I'd agreed to share. I couldn't just disappear without giving him something.
I wasn't sure which of his questions would be less uncomfortable to answer. My scars, or my current motive.
I'd never told anyone what happened to me. Not really. Grayson knew better than to ask, and I didn't talk to anyone else other than the lamia queen and her mate. My connection to them was only surface-level, too.
While I didn't want to tell Darius about it, I still didn't feel ready to ask him about the bargain, which was why I'd shown up.
Maybe I should've just waited until I felt ready to send that text.
"I was always more connected to the shadows than I had any right to be. My mom was powerful. My dad was too," I said.
"Demons?"
I nodded. "Vampires. Both of them. They helped plan the coup that put the old vampire and siren royals in Shadowside Penitentiary. Grayson's family, Jazz and Dante. My dad was the second most powerful vampire in the city. He took the throne, after the coup."
I glanced over to see if Darius was really interested in the story.
He looked interested. So, I kept going. "The power went to my dad's head really fast. He was never good to me, but afterward, he saw me as a threat. Didn't waste much time before he threw me in the cellar to starve. Mom tried to break me out, and he killed her in front of me. I didn't get to go to the funeral, but there was one. I looked it up."
"How old were you?" Dare asked.
