The Darkening Read Online Free PDF

know her-intimately. He turned his gaze back to the sights they were passing, but his thoughts stayed on the woman. How much had women changed over the centuries? he wondered. The way this one dressed, with tight-fitting clothes that perfectly molded to the shape of her body and the daring plunge of her neckline, suggested she was the type who spent much time pleasuring men. That might have bothered some men, but not Darius. In fact, it would make leaving her easier if she had no expectation of a personal commitment.
    Feeling as if things were definitely looking up for him, he settled in and enjoyed the rest of the ride. It didn't take long, and, though Darius drew many interested stares when he got out of the cab, that was the extent of the attention he received. There were no crowds of men and woman rushing forward to welcome him to Earth as there had been in the past. He found the lack of attention a bit disconcerting.
    "You okay?" Lexi asked after she'd paid the cab driver and he'd driven off.
    He smiled down at her and saw her light gray eyes widen ever so slightly. "Yes."
    They went inside her apartment building and rode an elevator to the fifth floor, another interesting experience for Darius.
    "Are you hungry? Can I get you something to eat or drink?" Lexi offered as soon as they were inside her apartment. It was smaller than anything he was used to, which made him feel like a caged animal.
    "Nothing, thanks," he said, studying her closely. "But you can tell me why I was Called."
    "I think it would be best if you talked to your brother Adrian."
    She picked up an instrument sitting on the table beside her couch and pressed several buttons on it before holding the instrument to her ear. A second later, Darius heard the voice of a woman on the other end of the line and guessed that this, then, was a telephone. He'd tried to stay on top of Earth's changes over the years, but most of his information had come from listening to the conversations of his mother and other gods and goddesses. He'd heard about many of the technological advances, but never seen them.
    "Heather, it's Lexi," she said into the phone. Darius listened to her side of the conversation as he walked around the room looking at pictures hanging on the wall. "You're not going to believe this. The spell worked.... Yes, the Calling spell.... I know because I have an Immortal standing right here in my living room ... because he looks just like the guy who appeared briefly during the ceremony." She paused and listened for a moment. "Okay. Wait a second."
    "Excuse me," she called to him. "I need proof that you're really an Immortal," she told him when he turned to look at her.
    She didn't apologize for doubting him, just stood there silently waiting. He wondered what she'd do if he refused. He wasn't sure there was time for such games, though, so he merely smiled at her, turned his back and gathered his hair so he could lift it up. On the back of his neck was the tattoo each of the hve brothers had somewhere on his body, a cobalt blue pentacle.
    "It's there," he heard her say into the phone. Then she was silent while the other woman talked. Darius let go of his hair and resumed his perusal of her room.
    "Okay, Heather gave me the phone number in Seattle," she told him a minute later. "With any luck, Amber and Adrian will be home." She punched in another series of numbers and waited for several seconds.
    "Hello. Amber?" Lexi paused. "My name is Lexi Corvin. I'm not a member of the Coven of Light, but I participated in the Calling spell last week, and, well, it worked.... Yes, one of the Immortals has appeared. Luckily, I was there and recognized him ... Darius ... I thought it would be best if you or maybe Adrian explained the situation to him? Great. I'll put him on the phone."
    At this last comment, Darius had turned to her, and now she held the phone out to him. He stared at it a bit hesitantly, but he took it from her and held it to his ear as he'd seen her do.