Part 31 (1/2)

Turning his attention to Derek, Ben said, 'It's time.'

Derek stepped forward, resignation rendering him expressionless. 'I have questions first.'

'Go right ahead.'

'Who are the Sons of Darkness?'

'Twelve demon Lords originated the Sons of Darkness, charged with entering the human world to disrupt the balance of good, to gain souls for, I guess you would say, our side,' Ben finished with a smile.

'Soul stealers?'

'Sort of. Darkness and evil require much feeding, my son. They always hunger.'

Derek felt sick, unable to fathom being blood kin to this vile creature. 'How did you choose my mother?'

'She was purity and innocence. We are most attracted to those whose souls are either troubled or incredibly white.' He looked pointedly at Gina.

'You feed off corrupting goodness?'

Ben folded his arms. 'Of course. And soon, so will you.'

He'd kill himself before he ever allowed that to happen. But he'd rather kill all of them, instead. 'Where's Dominic?'

'You'll find out soon enough. Your brother is an amazing young man. You'd be quite proud of him.'

'Is he one of you?'

'He is just like you. And not at all like you.'

Cryptic much? That told him nothing. 'Where is he?'

'Soon, Derek. First we must bring you into the fold. Then we will reunite you with your brother. There is so much you have to learn about us. Our power grows stronger every day.'

'What about limitations?'

Ben grinned and clasped his shoulder. 'As I said, one step at a time. All will be revealed soon enough.'

He wasn't going to get all the answers right now, no matter how many questions he asked. 'Just tell me what you want me to do and let's get this over with.'

'Release her,' Ben said to the demons watching over Gina. They untied her bonds and dragged her up, thrusting her back against Ben's chest.

Derek clenched his fists when Ben smoothed his hand over Gina's throat, her collarbone, letting his fingertips rest just above the swell of her breast. It sickened him to see Ben touching her that intimately. His father would pay for that.

Through it all, Gina kept her gaze on Derek. Her eyes were clear, trusting.

Trusting in him. She smiled at him, nodded, and he knew then she would accept whatever it would take to get them both out of this mess with their souls intact.

If that meant they both had to die by Derek's hand, so be it.

'What do you want?' he asked Ben.

When Ben raised his head and looked at Derek, the darkness within him was evident. Derek had to force himself to stand firm and not back away against the malevolence reflected in his father's glowing eyes. He'd never felt a force so powerful.

'Accept what lives within you,' Ben said, his voice deepening. 'Acknowledge the demon blood that is part of you. Let it out, use it to transform Gina.'

'I won't do that.'

'Then she dies.' Ben's claws extended, a thick, sticky substance dripping down along Gina's skin. Derek saw the horror on Gina's face, even though she tried to mask it.

Derek could feel her fear, as well as the pure evil surrounding them. Darkness closed in, clawing at him, cutting off his air. His blood burned and he ached to dive for Gina. But not to save her. To take what was his, to ravage her as he'd wanted to do each time he made love to her, to drive himself inside her and possess her.

'No!' he yelled, clutching his head, squeezing his temples to force the darkness away. Fighting it hurt, the pain so intense it nearly dropped him to the ground.

'You can't resist the urges,' Ben crooned. 'They've been with you your entire life, but not until you met this woman did the physical urge to mate, to let the beast roar inside you, claw its way to the surface. Now you realize what you might be capable of. Take the pleasures offered to you. Become one of the Sons of Darkness. There is so much about us you don't know. You only know the demons you've seen, but there is more. Much more. You will truly never have another experience like this. And you will be able to keep Gina by your side forever.'

Derek's mouth burned, his teeth tingled, pain like a strike of lightning electrifying his insides. Evil surrounded him, more powerful than anything he had ever fought. Fangs tore through his gums and replaced his teeth, and the snarl that tore from his throat wasn't human.

'That's my boy,' his father said, loosening his grip on Gina as Derek approached. Ben's claws traced a line across the top of Gina's left breast. A thin trail of blood appeared, and Derek stilled.

'Now take what is yours. Make her one of us or I will kill her.'

Frustrated, powerless, and blinded by the haze of l.u.s.t threatening to consume him, Derek knew he had no other choice. 'You win, G.o.ddammit. Give her to me!'

With a loud roar, he spread his arms wide and finally let loose the beast he'd fought so hard to harness. A sudden gust of wind moaned and ripped through the room, nearly lifting him off the ground. Anger and violence sailed in on the wind, a haze of red covering his eyes like b.l.o.o.d.y blinders. Every muscle in his body popped, his blood surging with l.u.s.t for blood and flesh, a hunger nearly uncontrollable. His gaze tore to Gina, to the thin line of blood above her breast, his stomach churning with a need so violent he could barely control it.

'Don't fight it,' he heard Ben say. 'Let the pleasure and pain envelop you, then do what the voices urge you to do.'

If he did that, Gina would be in pieces by now.

'You will learn to control your urges in time,' Ben said. 'Take her. Do it now!' Ben pushed Gina into Derek's arms.

Derek's fingers dug into Gina's skin and he knew he bruised her, but had no control over that. His mouth opened with the need to bury his face in her neck, to taste her flesh, her blood. He bent down and licked the thin trickle of blood at her breast. So sweet, but it burned on his tongue. Shuddering, he fought against his dark needs and swept her into his arms, instead taking in the scent of her hair, the shampoo she used.

Normal, human, the sweetness of her. He clung to those lifelines like a rapidly shredding rope, the only part of humanity left in this blinding vortex that was quickly sucking his soul from his body. He prayed his love for Gina was more pure, stronger than the demon blood coursing through his veins, prayed that he could fight this off and maintain his humanity.

If not, he mentally begged forgiveness for what he would do to her. Gathering her close, he whispered raggedly in her ear.

'I love you, Gina.'

Gina would have sworn she'd misheard Derek's whispered words, especially considering what she'd just seen. The transformation had been horrifying, yet through it all she still believed he retained his soul, that he hadn't yet given up the fight.

But then she heard a growl. Tilting her head back, the sight that greeted her had a shriek tearing from her throat.

That wasn't wasn't Derek gripping her, his fingers gouging her skin. His eyes were blood red like a demon's, his teeth elongated. A scowl of demonic anger marred his normally perfect features. His cheekbones had hollowed, lending him a gaunt and ghostly appearance. That same ugly visage she'd seen every time they'd fought thosecreatures. Derek gripping her, his fingers gouging her skin. His eyes were blood red like a demon's, his teeth elongated. A scowl of demonic anger marred his normally perfect features. His cheekbones had hollowed, lending him a gaunt and ghostly appearance. That same ugly visage she'd seen every time they'd fought thosecreatures.

'Don't do this, Derek,' she whispered.

His lips moved, but no words came out. She knew he was struggling to maintain his humanity as he bent low, his lips touching her ear. 'Holding on by a G.o.dd.a.m.ned thread here, Gina. Scream. Fight me. Now!'