The assignment was easy enough that she was eager for more. Shara had even sampled one of the men herself when prodded by her cousin. The sex had been good, but she hadn’t understood why her friends wanted the humans so desperately.
Her second task was to bring five human females to their home on the Fae world. As soon as she brought them through a Fae doorway, the thick lock of silver appeared in her hair.
She knew what was done to the females from her studies, but she had never watched before. After she delivered the humans, she tried to leave, suddenly sick at what she had done. Farrell stopped her, making her watch. It repulsed her to see the souls drained from the women so quickly.
Shara tried to tell herself it was no different from what the female Dark did to the males, but it was. She was so disgusted by what her male family members did that when they finally left the room, Shara snuck inside to release the women. But it was already too late for them. Their souls were all but gone, and their minds were shattered.
Her only choice had been to give them death. She hadn’t hesitated in killing them to end their suffering. There had been a measure of relief in what she’d done. But her family hadn’t thought the same.
Farrell had demanded her death, as had many others of her family. Her father disagreed, and handed down her punishment of solitude to think about her crimes. For six hundred years she was kept chained in her room. It was only two weeks ago that she had been released. With a new assignment—Kiril.
This was her chance to prove she was part of her family, a valid member who would carry on their ways. A loyal Dark who embraced their ways, taking from the humans because it was their right.
It was also the only way they would ease up on their control of her.
No matter how appealing Mr. Sexy was, she wasn’t going to mess up again. She valued her freedom too much. She wanted to come and go as she pleased, and that wouldn’t happen until Kiril was delivered into her father’s hands.
She flipped the long strands of her hair over her shoulders. It was the use of the black magic full of evil that caused the red eyes and the silver in the hair of Darks. The more silver, the more evil a Dark had done. Her mother’s and father’s hair were completely silver, and Farrell’s was gaining by the day.
Shara didn’t fit in with just the single thick strand of silver that ran along the left side of her face. She was a weakness to her family that needed to be smothered out.
If Farrell had had his way, she would have died the night she killed those human females. He hated her, and told her often that she weakened the family name. One wrong move, and she knew Farrell wouldn’t wait for the family’s decision on her fate.
He would kill her.
She couldn’t remain in her room anymore and let such thoughts fill her. When she opened her door, a distant cousin stood guard. Even now she had only so much autonomy.
He raised a brow. “Going somewhere?”
“I want to get a look at Kiril’s home while he’s gone for the night so I’ll know the layout.”
Her cousin thought over her words before he nodded. “I’ll take you there.”
Great. Would she ever be alone again?
That’s when Shara realized the only way to get away from the Dark Fae for a few minutes was to be with Kiril. Alone.
In his home.
She bit her lip to keep from smiling as a plan began to take root.
CHAPTER FOUR
Shara’s black sandals didn’t make a sound as she walked the woods behind the home Kiril purchased. The entire estate encompassed fifty-three acres. It was a magnificent mixture of mature gardens, manicured lawns, and flower beds. She walked along a quaint path next to a stream with an abundance of wild shrubs and trees. Even in the dead of night, the place was enchanting.
The number of Dark Fae that were scattered about the estate surveying Kiril shouldn’t have been surprising, and yet she felt sorry for him—because she knew what it was like to be watched so closely.
Shara faced the house and spotted the pool through the trees. She had the insane urge to strip off her clothes and dive in. What would Kiril do if he came home to find her in the pool? Would he throw her out? Join her?
Kiss her?
She pushed aside such thoughts and glanced at the sky. The sliver of moon afforded her the cover of darkness as she followed the path to the house.
None of the other Dark would bother her. They knew her mission, and her family had kept her indiscretions from getting out to the others. Only the one guarding her knew how tight the rein was.
At least Farrell wasn’t there to dog her every step and question her every move. That’s how she knew Kiril wasn’t at home. Farrell was always near him, always within easy reach of taking the Dragon King.
Shara stepped from the wooded brush onto the manicured lawn. She walked around the pool. Small lights were set in planters around the water and hidden by the flowers and greenery.