Page 143 of Dark Lover

He strained to push through the darkness of the cage. The night was so heavy, pressing him back inside, pushing him down. He had to push back, through this impenetrable blanket of black power. He strained to see. For one moment, he was a grown man, doubled over in the cage that was sized for a small child. And then he straightened fully, exhaling, and he did not hit the top of the cage. The shapes and shadows of his living room were becoming visible. Through a window, he saw the rising sun and the mists that floated upon the loch.

He breathed in deeply. Relief blazed.

Ian realized his fists were clenched, but not around bars. They were so tightly balled that his short nails dug into the skin of his palms. He’d been trapped in the past by the power of the page, and it had been as real as if it were actually happening. To be certain, he looked down, but saw his denim-clad leg, not the bare, small and bleeding calf of a child. And there were no rats. He was firmly in reality now.

Ian, where are you?

He tensed, having heard Sam again, as clear as day.

He did not want her drawn into this war with his grandfather. Moray would hurt her if he could, just to get at him.

Fear finally vanished and in its place was a burning determination for revenge.

He could never let Moray hurt Sam or his father. He would protect those he loved—or die trying.

He reached out for her, to reassure himself that she was safe, and not already in evil’s hands. He found her instantly. She was standing in an unfamiliar bedroom. He focused and saw Nick, a badge hanging from his neck. Then he saw the sheet covering a corpse on the bed.

“My first pleasure crime. I so enjoyed it. I can see why the crime is addictive.”

The voice was Hemmer’s. But if this were real, if Moray had somehow come back, then Moray had become Rupert Hemmer now.

Ian slowly turned. Moray’s evil was unmistakable but no longer terrifying. He remained in his own living room. “Are ye Hemmer or Moray?”

“Both.” Hemmer smiled. “Right now, I am in control. Your grandfather was calling the shots a moment ago. He is too powerful to resist—and I hardly mind.”

Ian wet his lips, focused as never before. “So his soul took yers?”

Hemmer grinned. “Something like that.”

“He was vanquished.”

“After what we just put you through, do you really question his return?”

His gut churned. He didn’t have any doubts. Moray had returned. “Do ye have all of Moray’s powers?”

“Why else would I allow his soul to become mine?” His gaze narrowed, became the blue eyes of his grandfather. Slowly, they turned red. But the living room remained unchanged. “Did we give you permission to leave the cage, Ian, my boy?” Moray laughed softly.

“How did you get back? How did ye get into Hemmer?”

Those glowing red eyes widened. “We made another deal with the devil.”

This wasn’t virtual reality, Ian thought. This was real. He was facing his grandfather, who was also Rupert Hemmer.

Even mere minutes ago, the idea would have terrified him. Now, he burned to end this. He had never hated anyone as he did this evil entity. “I owe ye, Grandfather.”

“You challenge us?” Moray said. “But we have all the power.”

“No, ye don’t have all the power. Ye don’t have the power of the gods. Ye don’t have the power of right.”

Moray laughed, delighted. “You know, I never believed we could turn you when you were a boy. It’s why we hardly tried. But this is what we will do. We’re going to use you to bring down your father, once and for all.”

“He defeated ye before. He’ll defeat ye again. And this time, so will I. This time, ye fight us, together.”

“Such brave words! Aidan will come running to rescue you this time, don’t you think so, Ian?”

Ian tensed. He had not a doubt that his father would try to rescue him if he were put back in that virtual prison—just as he suddenly knew his father would have tried to rescue him when he was a child captive, if he hadn’t believed him to be dead.

“What I haven’t decided is the order of death. Should we let Aidan watch you die before we kill him? Or should we let you suffer a bit more, perhaps by watching sweet Samantha die after we’ve enjoyed her?” He darkened. “She dared to challenge me and I never let a challenge go unanswered.” Suddenly Hemmer stood there.