Chapter 157 DANE My nose was filled with her scent .


    Her skin , her shampoo , a delicate perfume … and her arousal .


    Familiar .


    So damn familiar it made my chest ache .


    I hadnt felt anything in so long .


    What was she doing to me ? I knew the Nameless was holding my memories .


    He said they werent important , so I had never cared .


    Before I came here , he told me I used to fuck this woman .


    That she might try to trick me into fucking her again .


    Whatever hold on me she had , though , it was more than that .


    The thought of being away from her was like a hand wrapping around my throat and slowly squeezing .


    Daddy ! Youre home ! Maybe her scent was already making me weak , because the small voice pierced some kind of veil over my mind .


    I saw a sh of a face , small and dark haired with her mothers violet eyes .


    And for a second , I was free .


    Seraphina ? I turned , searching the darkness for my daughter .


    Chapter 157 She was there , her brother a golden shadow behind her .


    2/5 Thest time I had seen them , they were four .


    In that strange age between toddler and small child .


    In my daze , I wasnt even sure how old they were .


    Still small , but so much bigger .


    The weight of everything I had given up , and the reason Id done it , crashed down on my head .


    I hit my knees , the marble floor biting into my skin .


    I didnt care .


    I held out my arms to my children .


    Seraphina ran to me , but Tristan held her back .


    No ! Hes bad now .


    Tristan ! Auroras voice was choked .


    Hes right , I said .


    I shouldnt be here , shouldnt be around any of them .


    I- Seraphina broke free of her brother and mmed into me .


    I caught her against my chest .


    I shook like a man breaking a fever .


    I was here for a reason … some reason … But when I reached for it so I could warn Aurora about the treachery of the Nameless treachery he was going to force me to carry out it disappeared into shadow .


    All there was room for in my mind was my family .


    Chapter 157 Years of darkness , of fire , of blood .


    I hadnt broken .


    3/5 This one taste of love , though ? It threatened to shatter me where I knelt .


    Aurora put a hand on my shoulder , and I looked up at her .


    She wore the same shadowed worry I saw in Tristans eyes as he hovered right outside my reach , ready to pounce on me if I so much as looked at his sister the wrong way .


    My son .


    So protective .


    Pride welled inside me .


    Then Tristans resolve broke , as it always did , and he was hugging me , too .


    Are you back ? Seraphina asked .


    Did Mommy save you ? She always said she would save you ! Aurora tried to speak , but she pressed her fingers over her mouth as if she couldnt find the words .


    Deep in the recesses of my mind , the shadows surged .


    My family was enough to bring me out of the darkness for a short time , but not forever .


    It would take powerful magic to do that .


    No , I whispered to Seraphina .


    You were just like a ray of light , pushing back the shadow for a moment .


    My daughter pulled back , and there was … something about her .


    Some kind of feeling of power , but I wasnt sure what it was .


    As Chapter 157 soon as I tried to sense it , it was gone .


    4/5 I kissed them both on the forehead , feeling the darkness swirling back over me .


    I fought it back .


    I couldnt sumb to it .


    Not yet .


    I dont have much time .


    I love you .


    Dont forget .


    I didnt hear what Aurora said as she hugged them , but Seraphina teared up and started to cry .


    Tristan led her down the hall and out of sight .


    I wanted to howl at how much it tore me apart to watch them go , not knowing if I would ever see them again .


    At least this time , I had gotten to say goodbye .


    By the time she turned back to me , I could barely see for as hard as I was fighting the shadows .


    I took Aurora in my arms and kissed her .


    It was a hard , desperate kiss .


    I didnt know if my fingers bruised her I was trying to be gentle , but it had been so long .


    These days , my hands didnt know how to hold on to the things 1 loved .


    They only knew how to hurt .


    How to kill .


    I pulled away from her abruptly , unwilling to taint her with all of the blood that stained my hands .


    Even if they were technically clean at the moment , they never would be never could be again .


    Dane , her eyes were huge .


    Her voice was choked .


    Dont leave me again .


    There was too much to say , and time had run through my Chapter 157 fingers like sand .


    5/5 So I said the most important thing I could before the shadows closed over me , burning away my heart and my true memories …