Verika was shaking all over. Nothing in her life made sense. No matter how long she stared at her trembling fingers, the shadows didn’t manifest again.

Warm, calloused hands took hers. She gripped them back, needing Elijah’s strength right now.

How many times was her life supposed to be flipped upside-down in one week?

First, there was the revelation that the DPI had been compromised.

Then she was marked by a werewolf, only to discover her latent powers of darkness.

“Holy shit,” she breathed.

Elijah chuckled.

“It’s not funny!” she snapped. She could feel a meltdown coming on.

“No, no, it’s not that. It’s just, I could think of several more colorful expletives to use in a situation like this. You just discovered you have one of the most desired and rarest forms of magic out there.”

“But, I don’t know how I got it.”

He released her hands and pulled her to the couch. Sitting down was definitely a good idea in this case. Her legs felt like jelly.

“Well, witches can become infected with magic,” he suggested.

She appreciated his levelheadedness in this situation. Normally, that was her. But she didn’t trust herself to think straight right now. Her whole life had just been derailed.

She nodded. “It’s possible. Better than the alternative.”

“Would it be terrible having Black Magic?”

She stared at him. “Every Black Witch or Warlock in history has been a murderer. Black Magic is evil.”

“I think that might have more to do with the bearer.” He reached up and cupped her cheek. “I doubt anyone as good as you could ever be evil. There’s a purpose to you having Black Magic. We just have to uncover what it is.”

His faith in her was flattering but did little to abate the terror taking over her body.

She swallowed hard. “That man, Gerard… he said he came here for me. It’s all my fault my parents are gone.”

“Don’t you dare say that. Gerard’s a prick and you had nothing to do with his actions.”

“But we don’t know where to find my parents. What if they’re already dead and he was just lying?”

“Hey.” He lifted her chin with the crook of his finger. “Don’t think like that. We’re going to find them. I promise.”

His promises were so sweet. She wanted to keep staring into his eyes, to believe in what he said.

But she’d been fed pretty lies before. Life had a way of making you cautious.

He stood, pulling her up with him, and looked around. His eyes narrowed on something by the window. Striding across the room, he knelt, picked up a tuft of fur, and sniffed. His wolf eyes shone gold for a few seconds. “Looks like one of your vipers got a piece of him.”

“Can you track him?” she asked, walking to him.

He grinned. “You bet your pretty little ass I can.”

“Good,” she said, feeling her blood simmer with anger. The darkness inside her stirred at the vengeful thoughts going on inside her head. She’d have to be extra cautious. The history books of her race said darker thoughts often fueled Black Magic because of its fundamental nature. Some had lost control of it altogether by surrendering to their darkest desires.

“You ready for this?” he asked, concern mixed with the eagerness to hunt shining in his eyes.

“Yeah.” The shadows in the room darkened. “I think I am.”