Page 62 of Lady of Darkness
“Want to know yours?” Alaric asks, leaning close to me. I realize then that he’s either drunk or high. His one good eye is dilated, and his words are slightly slurred. As my gaze shifts to the counter, I notice the empty whiskey glass in front of him. He’s probably had four or five refills, if his glassy eyes are any indication.
Shivers creep down my spine as he studies my face. It’s like he can see everything inside of me.
“Beautiful. Smart. Cunning. Bratty,” he adds, furrowing his brows. “Lady of Darkness. Future mother of my children. Mine.”
With each passing word, my stomach flutters with nervous longing. “Are you drunk?” I ask him quietly.
He shrugs, but the motion makes him wince. “Perhaps.” Reaching out slowly, he grits his jaw as he grabs my right arm. His thumb caresses theexactspot of my birth control implant. “I wasn’t lying when I said I was going to cut this out of you one day and put a baby inside of you.”
His eyes flick up and down my face before pinning me with a heated gaze.
I don’t say anything. The thought both excites and terrifies me.
The power.
The possession.
The claiming of my body.
I dread it, yet I want it.
I also remember what Gideon once said about heirs. Now that I’ve chosen this life, I would have to produce a Blackwell heir at some point. I wasn’t sure when that point would be, but it would come. Probably soon, if Alaric’s dark gaze is any indication.
I pull away from him and smirk. “Just because you’re all old men doesn’t mean I want to be tied down by a baby anytime soon.” Alaric opens his mouth to argue, but I hold a hand up to silence him. He looks both impressed and irritated that I’m putting my foot down. “I won’t hear any arguments about this. You’ve already given me no choice but to become a Lady of Darkness. I won’t give up my bodily autonomy at the same time.” Alaric frowns but listens intently, and I continue. “One day. One day, when the time comes, I will… produce an heir.”
Just saying it puts a metallic tang in my mouth.
I’m only eighteen.Definitelynot ready for a baby.
“Dinner is ready,” Theo interrupts, grinning.
“What’s so funny?” I ask, realizing they’re all laughing and shaking their heads.
Theo shrugs. “I think it’s cute that you think you have any say over this.”
My stomach bottoms out.
Today reminded me how much I care about these men. How much they mean to me. Screaming at Alaric to get up… I was devastated.
Doing normal things like wearing casual clothes and cooking dinner may humanize them briefly.
But right now? When they say things like that? I’m reminded of theotherside of them. The one that takes up more space. Not aristocratic Lords. But theLords of Darkness.
Something akin to fear slithers down my spine, and I sit up straight. This is one point I was not willing to compromise on.
“Four years,” I tell them. “I get four years of not having to worry that you’ll do something to get me pregnant.”
Alaric turns to face me. His brown eyes are pure black. “And after that?”
I throw my hands up. “We can figure it out then. Do we have a deal?” They all nod reluctantly. “I need a verbal agreement.”
Theo checks his phone and cocks his head. “Deal. You have fourteen-hundred and sixty days.”
I scoff. “You didnotjust count the days.”
He grins, his white teeth flashing. “Fourteen-hundred and fifty-nine now. Clock just struck midnight.”
CHAPTERTWENTY-SEVEN
