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grow up too far apart. My theory is that they wanted us to form bonds of dependence. That worked more to our advantage and not so much theirs.
    “We should have been their crowning jewel, and we are. Unfortunately, in their haste to create their warriors, they also created killers with a curse over their head.”
    “What do you mean?” Jaz reached her hand out and placed it on his thigh letting the heat warm her. “Mick?”
    He picked up her hand and kissed the palm before standing. He started pacing back and forth in front of her.
    “Jaz, the Scientists collected Darkness DNA on their travels. They never knew what they had. Darkness DNA carries a curse that infects those who come into contact with it. In this case, that would be my brothers and me.”
    “What curse?”
    He gave her a tight smile. “It’s rather simple because The Darkness is simple. The moment we look upon our mates the curse is activated. The Darkness will demand that we either willingly turn our mate over or kill her ourselves. Either of these actions will condemn our soul to servitude in the Army of Darkness forever.”
    She curled up on the loveseat shrinking away from him. Mick felt his heart shrivel even though he knew he deserved a reaction just like this.
    “Is that why Dante had you taken away the day you saw me?”
    He turned sad blue eyes on her before nodding his head. “None of us knew what The Darkness would do, and he didn’t want to put you or anyone else in jeopardy until he knew what to expect.”
    “What happened to you?” Why was she even asking? She should be running up the front stairs except he didn’t run when her handlers came for her. He didn’t shake in his boots when they said he might die. His voice rang so loud when he told them they couldn’t take her.
    So she told her inner voice to shut up because she wasn’t running. Besides, they would simply track her down and kill her. Her inner voice grew quiet at that reminder. Right now she was going to figure out how to help Mick. Then even if she died, her life would have meant something.
    She sat up. “I’m not brave. You might have already figured that out. Tell me what happened next.”
    “The Darkness chose to attack my mind. They moved me to the Hell planet.”
    Ash’s sharply indrawn breath told her it was just as bad as it sounded.
    ‘They beat me repeatedly demanding I turn you over. I refused.”
    “How did you stand it?”
    “I dreamed about you, lost myself in thoughts of you. How you would smell, feel.”
    “You didn’t give me up,” her voice was filled with wonder.
    “I never want to see you hurt, Jaz, never.”
    She stood and walked up to him sliding her arms around him. “I wish I was as brave as you are.”
    She rested her head on his chest feeling his heart beat under her ear. The steady thud of it calmed her down and gave her hope for tomorrow, despite the bleakness of the situation they were facing.
    Her eyes closed and she found herself wondering how she could care for him when she spent so many years never caring for anyone. Mick drew her, called to her on a level she never experienced before. It both scared her and exhilarated her. Maybe if tomorrow was promised to her she could slow down, ponder it all. But her tomorrow wasn’t promised, all she had was today and for now Mick was part of that today.
    “That’s what I meant when I said I bring just as much drama to the table as you do. Ash, you and Brook are going to need to leave for a while. Maybe come to the clouds with us. I don’t want to take the chance The Darkness will come after you for helping Jaz.”
    Ash held Brook a little tighter. “I want to protest and say that I can keep us safe, but I am aware of what The Darkness is.” His eyes flashed red. Ash had just a hint of Darkness in him but not enough for it to affect him.
    “I think we have a bigger problem,” Jaz said looking at the trim around the floor, it was flashing at them.

Chapter Six
     
     
    “What’s