Page 123 of Dark Lover

There were also swirling memories, which belonged to another, so much hatred and rage, but it didn’t matter.

He didn’t care about the soul’s memories, his life or yearnings. He loved the power infesting him, Rupert Hemmer, now. He was still smarter than them all. No one really understood what the power of virtual control could do, but he knew. And Hemmer already knew what he would do once he had it.

By creating the reality he chose, when he chose, he would take over the city, the state, the country and the world, slowly but surely…company by company, corporation by corporation, government by government.

He laughed.

But revenge would come first—even if it belonged to another.

SAM WAS HALFWAY through her search of the second floor of the house, having finished the upper floor, when she heard voices coming up the stairs. She went still, incredulous.

“Sam?” Tabby called. “Is that you? We said we’d help and here we are!”

Sam ran out of the guest bedroom and saw Tabby and Brie coming up the stairs. It took her one second to comprehend that they’d come from Castle Awe in 1527—they were both wearing the same clothes she’d last seen them in. Sam raced down the hall to greet them.

Tabby seized her hands. “Thank the gods we’re in the right time!”

“How did you know?” Sam cried. She’d told them that Ian had stashed the page at Loch Awe in the present, but she hadn’t been specific.

“Aidan heard you thinking about your birthday, so we decided today was a safe bet.” Brie hugged her. “Happy birthday, Sam.”

“And to think I was worried I’d be spending it without you guys.”

Tabby laid her hand on her shoulder. “It’s your first birthday since I went back with Guy, but it’s been so hard for me, Sam, especially the first few years. I spent so many of your birthdays alone, worrying about you—missing you.”

Sam looked at her. “It’s still so weird, that over two hundred years have gone by for you and a couple of decades for Brie. But you shouldn’t ever worry about me, Tabby. You know that.”

Tabby gave her that schoolteacher look. “I will always worry about you. I’m worried about you and Ian right now.”

Sam exhaled. She told herself to forget about the sex tape until they’d freed Ian. “We have to find the page,” she said grimly. “The monk has Ian in a warehouse in Brooklyn, and I am so afraid of what he’s doing to him.” But even as she spoke, she thought about the sex tape. She felt betrayed, but she was bewildered, too.

Tabby and Brie exchanged glances. “Do you know where the warehouse is? Because Aidan is ready to destroy the monk with his bare hands,” Brie said. “It’s like he’s reliving the past all over again.”

“I don’t know exactly where it is. Aidan should get help and start a major search while we try to find the page here.”

“I’ll tell him,” Brie said, and she fled back down the stairs.

Tabby took her hand. “I put a spell on him to thwart the effect of that pike, Sam.”

Sam looked at her. “Is that why he wasn’t screaming his head off? Or bleeding out? It was pretty easy to stop the bleeding, until Carlisle showed up, doing his best to set Ian off.”

“I think so. I hope so. The spell was general. If he’s hurt again, he should have a better ability to withstand the injury.” Tabby spoke carefully now.

Sam hugged her, hard. To her shock, moisture came to her eyes.

“What is it?” Tabby whispered.

Sam inhaled. “I’ve fallen in love…damn it.” But Ian had seen that tape before she’d met him at Hemmer’s party. Yet he hadn’t batted an eye when she’d shown him Hemmer’s tape. He’d lied to her by omission. She just couldn’t imagine what it might mean.

However, first things came first. She didn’t think Ian could survive any length of captivity under Carlisle again.

Tabby smiled, her own gaze becoming wet. “Tell me something I don’t know,” she said. “But you’re really upset.”

Sam didn’t want to tell Tabby about the tape—when they never had secrets. It was almost as if she wanted to protect Ian and not show his worst side to her sister. “I’m sick with fear for him. I can’t wait to personally destroy Carlisle, for what he did to Ian as a child and what he’s doing to him now.”

Tabby slid her arm around her. “I think it’s time for an old-fashioned Rose spell fest.”

Sam looked at her.