Tasting Darkness

Read Taming Darkness By Jessica Hall Book 3 Chapter 26 – “No, you don’t understand, Ma’am. She still has powers. There
were snakes and they-”
“Stop being foolish, you are hallucinating from lack of sleep, Clint.” she presses her fingers against her temple. “Why did I even
bother leaving you in charge? You really can’t do anything right around here.”
“No, I-I swear,” Clint pleads.
My mother lets me go, and I drop my head forward, trying not to smile at how petrified he sounds. It truly was sweet music to my
ears, and I hoped my neighbor was enjoying it.
“Get the spinal fluid from her and drop it off with Samson. If you can manage that without any more mishaps, I want you to go
home and get some sleep, Clint. You have been awake for far too long, and it is making you unhinged. I need those that can do
their job, not men I have to babysit. If I have to have this kind of discussion with you again, I will see you torn apart and fed to our
captives, do I make myself clear?” she snapped and then before letting him answer, she stomped out of the cell, slamming the
door shut behind her for good measure.
Clint whimpered after she left, his head jerked from side to side as he searched for my pets. His hand shook as he grabbed the
syringe again. He crept his way over to me and timidly pressed my shoulder.
I pretended to still be completely out of it, only offering him a twitch in response. The confident, smirking man from before was
long gone. He nudged me over until I flopped onto my stomach and let out a little groan. He poked me with one finger before
sighing in relief.
“Clint, she’s right. You do need to get some rest. Clearly there are no snakes in here, she’s powerless. I must have been nodding
off during her session.” he spoke to himself in third person, he shook his head and readied his needle again. His fingers traced
down my spine, finding the spot he was going to stab me.
It took everything in me to force my body to relax and let him take the sample. Every bit of my focus to not let my body resist or
jerk as the needle slipped into me. I gritted my teeth, thankful his attention was diverted while my eyes watered.
It took far longer than I thought it should, and the pain had been intense, but finally it was over. The man left, still muttering to
himself about my snakes.
He left me on the cold metal gurney before walking off and closing my cage. I flopped back over, ignoring the pain, as I stared up
at the ceiling. How was I going to rescue my fellow Harmony-Fae? I wasn’t about to leave them behind, I wouldn’t have been

able to live with myself if I survived, and they did not. After all, wasn’t it my mother that had thrown them in here?
Besides, I had no idea what she had done to these poor people over all these years. Just thinking about that or what she was
planning to do to them in the future made my stomach clench and swirl.
There were easily hundreds, no if I’m being honest with myself, probably thousands of lives locked away in these little cages. My
mates would find me, but with the increased danger, all of this could put them into greater danger than they already faced. How
would I pull this off without losing any of them?
The bubble of my thoughts popped as I heard heavy footsteps approaching my cell, and I looked up. Porter stood in front of my
cell, Lycus’ no good of a father. Did he come here to watch my misery and gloat about his success? Or just to come and stare at
me like I was some imprisoned bird?
No matter how hard I tried to come up with at least one thing he could be proud of, nothing but filth crossed my mind. Someone
with a face like that couldn’t be the good guy, someone with the past he had couldn’t have any redeeming qualities, I had
witnessed his atrocities through Lycus’s memories and all had scarred me. For a child to witness what he did happen to his
mother, then be punished for it afterward, was purely disgusting.
All of my assumptions were swiftly proven to be correct from the first line that left his mouth. Thank G*d, Lycus wasn’t his. Lycus
must have gotten his looks from his mother, this man was hideous inside and out, so he kinda dodged that misfortune of being
Porter’s son.
“So, you’re the little b*tch that ba**ard Lycus fought so hard to find and protect, huh?” he turned his head to the side and spat on
the ground. It hadn’t bothered me before with Clint, and even her crazed men, but the lack of covering my gown provided, made
me feel dirty as this man visibly checked me out.
“I’ll admit, you’ve got a pretty face, and I’m sure with those full pouty lips of yours there’s a use or two for you, not that the
bas*ard deserves to have anyone as a mate, let alone a f**k toy.” He shook his head as if to emphasize the sick statement he’d
just made. He chuckled, his eyes flaming, “Much less to have you as their keeper.”
Sick f***k. Still, I couldn’t hold back. The bubbling laughter burst out of me, and the shocked, almost scandalized look he threw at
me was almost comical. If only he knew the truth, he’d never smirk like that again.
“The man you’re calling a bas*ard will tear you limb from limb if you come near me. Lycus is more of a man than you ever wished
to be. More than you could become in your wildest dreams and fantasies.” I hissed with every bit of hatred and disgust I could

muster.