Tempting Darkness

shopping complex, he got out and walked to my side. The place was bustling with shoppers as I glanced around.

The town wasn't that far from the castle. It only took roughly twenty minutes to drive there. The time seemed to fly by as I was busy talking to my internet friend. When Darius pulled into a parking spot out the front of a grocery store that was part of a small The moment I stepped out of the car myself, Darius was already at my side before I had even shut the door. He grabbed my hand, and I glanced down at my hand when he laced his fingers through mine before raising an eyebrow at him. "Don't argue. I want you close," he said, glancing around almost anxiously, which I thought odd. He led me to a small post office first before pulling a key from his pocket and unlocking a mailbox. "You don't get your mail at the castle?" I asked him.

"Nobody can find it. It's hidden," he said, placing the mail in his back pocket. He dragged me to a few different places, including a pharmacy where he picked up prescriptions for Kalen, and I was surprised to see how many different pills Kalen took. When we were done there, Darius pulled me to the grocery store.

I did, however, notice that anyone who stepped near or in our path quickly scattered. The pharmacy completely emptied of people when Darius entered, leaving only the pharmacist who was familiar with Darius. The grocery store was the same, except even a few of the workers scurried off.

"Do you always get such a warm welcome?" I whispered.

"It has its benefits. Never have to wait in line," Darius chuckled while stepping closer to me and placing his hand on my hip so I was pretty much tucked under his arm. He led me to an aisle that contained feminine products, and both of us stood there like idiots. "Please, tell me you know which ones to buy," Darius murmured. I picked up one of the colored boxes to read it, and so did Darius.

"What, they couldn't make it one size fits all?" he said, picking up a couple of boxes of pads while I picked up some tampons. "One size fits all?" I asked him, shaking my head.

"Yeah, why are they different sizes, and how do you know what size to buy?" he asked, holding up two different ones. This was the most bizarre experience of my life and not one I ever pictured doing with Darius.

"Just go with the regular?" I told him, and he looked at the box in my hand.

"You are not using those. You can die if you forget it is in there," Darius said, placing it back on the shelf.

"Huh?"

"Lycus said something about some syndrome."

"Toxic shock syndrome?" I offered.

"That's the one. Stick with the less-lethal kind," Darius said.

I shook my head at his words. Darius grabbed a few different boxes, putting them in his basket. "You know it only lasts twenty-four hours, right? I don't need all those," I told him.

"What if they are uncomfortable?" he said, and I just let him go, letting him steer me toward the next aisle. His basket was full by the time we were done, and he escorted me to the register. The entire time, Darius kept glancing around nervously when his phone pinged, and he got a text message. He pulled his phone from his pocket. Looking at it, he sighed. He looked around for a second before looking behind him.

"I will be right there. Put the rest of the stuff up. If anyone speaks to you, scream," Darius said, wondering off about three meters away to some confectionery stand. I placed the contents out with a sigh before putting the basket back beside the register when the man behind the register spoke.

"Never seen you in here before with Darius Wraith. Family member?" he asked while scanning another item and placing it in the bag before looking at me. Surely Darius didn't mean to scream if the teller spoke to me.

Before I could answer, though, Darius put some chocolate bars on the register. "Her mate, so eyes down." Darius sneered at him. My face flushed; the poor guy only asked an innocent question. The man dropped his gaze and quickly started scanning. "Why are you so nervous?" I asked Darius when I noticed him looking around again.

"Because you're with me," he said before stopping as he stared out the window at something, cutting off what he was about to say.

"So?" I asked, and he looked down at me.

"Usually, I don't bring Kalen or Lycus in here without Tobias. I should have brought someone else with me. You're too exposed," he said, and my brows furrowed.

"Exposed to what?" I asked, looking around at the empty store before turning my gaze to the man serving us. He smiled at me before dropping his head when Darius's hand fell on my shoulder as he tugged me back against him, wrapping his arm around my waist. "You won't like it if I have to warn you again about looking at her. F*****g do your job," Darius growled. He scanned faster while my face flushed at how rude Darius was to him.

Getting to the car, Darius placed everything in the trunk before walking me to my side of the door and waiting for me to get in before walking to the driver's side. When he got in, he put a chocolate bar on my lap, and I stared at him.

"Lycus said you would crave sweet stuff?"

I shrugged before opening it. What girl turns down chocolate? Not this one, that's for sure. "Exactly why is Lycus googling about keepers' shredding?" I asked him. "Because I asked him to," Darius said, starting the car.

"And did you have to be so mean to that poor guy? He looked like he was about to wet his pants the second time you snapped at him," I told him, biting into the chocolate bar. "He is a vampiric fae, Aleera."

"So?"

Darius tilted his head to look at me before looking at my lap. "Remember Tobias when I found you?" Darius asked, and my smile fell. My face heated, remembering how crazed he became.

"Exactly, I don't want him taking a bite out of what is mine," Darius said, pulling onto the road before slamming on the brakes. I lurched forward in my seat and nearly smashed into the dash when Darius's hand flung out, shoving me back before I head-butted it. My breathing ragged when a dark-haired middle-aged man walked out in front of the car.