To Curse the Darkness Read Free Page A

until now? You and your brother are not the only ones who have a right to be kept informed, you know.”
    Julie scowled. “Really, D? You two have been keeping secrets from me my whole life . Now all of a sudden this is my fault?”
    Conrad reined in his temper. “There’s no need to get so excited. No one’s blaming you, child. But it is important you tell us these things.”
    â€œI just found out, all right? I haven’t had time to tell you. In case it’s escaped everyone’s notice, I’ve been a little busy tonight!”
    Armand had buried his head in his hands. “ C’est pas vrai, ” he whispered weakly. “ C’est pas vrai! ”
    Julie shot him a pitying glance. “It’s true, all right. I guess maybe now you understand why I wanted her things, huh? Why I kept asking questions? Why it was so important to me?”
    â€œOh, merde ,” he groaned. He lifted his head and stared blankly at for her a moment, then started to laugh. “Yes, of course. It all makes perfect sense!”
    Julie’s lips tightened. “Well, it does. Why is that funny?”
    Armand shook his head. “It’s not funny—not at all. But it’s suddenly become abundantly clear to me that I returned to San Francisco far too soon. I should have stayed away much longer than I did.”
    In the startled silence that met his remark, Julie’s gasp of hurt and dismay was all too audible. Damian howled in fury. He surged forward. Conrad had to clamp a hand on his arm to stop him from leaping at Armand’s throat. “Let me go,” Damian growled, struggling against Conrad’s hold. “Now. I’m going to kill him!”
    â€œStop it,” Conrad snapped impatiently. “You’ll do no such thing. Armand, explain yourself. Immediately.”
    â€œWhat’s to explain?” Damian demanded. “You heard him. He’s just said he’s sorry he was here to intervene when Julie was attacked. Now that he knows the truth, he’d rather Georgia had killed her!”
    â€œI…I what?” Armand stared at Damian in horror. “ Non ! That’s not it at all!” He turned to Julie. “You’re not listening to this nonsense, are you?”
    Julie gazed back at him doubtfully. “I don’t know. That’s kind of how it sounded to me too.”
    â€œAh, chérie ,” Armand murmured reproachfully as he reached for her hand. “Don’t you know me better than that? Listen to me now. I am not sorry I returned in time to save you—never! Understand that first of all. I would have given my life for you tonight, and I would make the same choice again right now. This changes nothing in that respect. Nothing at all. Do you hear me?”
    Julie shrugged. “Yeah, sure. If you say so. But…?”
    â€œBut nothing. When I left town, it was in hopes of clearing my head, of coming to terms with my own emotions and putting things into perspective. But things became complicated rather quickly and I still need those things. I need space and time. Now more than ever.”
    Julie’s chin rose. “So who’s stopping you? Go get them.”
    Armand met her gaze for a moment. Then he turned to Conrad. “May I be allowed to leave?”
    â€œConrad,” Damian murmured warningly. “You can’t! Think of the repercussions.”
    But that ship had definitely sailed. “It’s all right, Damian,” Conrad snapped. He fixed Armand with a stern gaze. “You realize the seriousness of the situation, I assume? You understand you’re to say nothing of this to anyone?”
    Armand nodded. “ Oui, je comprends .” He paused for a moment, as though gathering his courage. Then, in a surprisingly forceful tone, he added, “And I would have understood it just as well forty years ago. You might have trusted me.”
    The beast did not miss the accusation, no