Dark Haven

by Leigh Allen

  The rest of the army of men seeing this, escaped into the woods. They knew their leader was dead and if they stayed, we would finish them off one by one. Rushing to my side, the rest of my friends knelt down to help Brad. Davis and Will scooped him up and helped lead him back to the house.

  Approaching me, John and Sarah smiled. “We didn’t think you had it in you. But, you saved Brad and Dark Haven,” John said as his eyes glistened with moisture.

  Hugging me, Sarah cried on my shoulder. She was bruised and her hair was a mess, but she was alright. We were all safe now.

  As we made our way back to the lodge, I kept my eyes focused on Brad who was barely able to keep his body upright as the men carried him.

  Once inside, they lay him on the couch in the den. I ran to his side and fell to my knees in front of him. I wiped his hair out of his eyes and pleaded with him to look at me. “Brad, we did it. Lucas is dead. His army ran away, and Dark Haven is safe.”

  A tiny spark ignited in Brad’s eyes and as I stared at him, the light quickly diminished as I noticed a circle of red blood forming on the pillow below his head. I hadn’t noticed it before, but he had been stabbed. In his neck.

  “He’s bleeding,” I cried out as I placed my hand on the wound. Dried blood cracked beneath his shirt and I realized his clothing had hidden the injury from us before. How long he had been in this state I didn’t know, but my body began to shake as it struck me that he may not have enough blood left in his body to sustain life.

  Rushing over, John and Davis began to inspect Brad. Will pushed me aside and I fell into Sarah and Ally’s arms while Nelly ran to get a first aid kit. I wasn’t sure what she was going to do with that, but I didn’t care. Anything to save him we needed.

  I cried into their arms as the men began talking, their words having no sound or meaning at all to me.

  “He needs blood,” I yelled over the commotion.

  Looking around, I knew it would take time for the men to get to the freezer where the blood was stored. We didn’t have any time to spare. Realizing what I needed to do, I acted without giving myself time to back out now.

  Taking my knife, I held it to my neck. “Brad, I need you to drink,” I said.

  “No,” Ally cried out. She had become my best friend here at Dark Haven. Sarah was like my mother and Nelly like the older sister I had always wanted. I would miss each of them so much.

  I swiftly sliced my neck and leaned down so that my open wound was against Brad’s lips. “Drink, please drink,” I cried and pleaded with him.

  I felt his tongue slowly begin to lick my wounds, tasting and savoring the warm blood pouring out of me. His eyes were still closed and I knew he was still barely conscious. This would be best, he would never agree to this if he could understand what was happening.

  His lapping became more ramped as the blood began to soothe his throat and coat his insides. I could feel the power leaving my body and entering his. As scared as I had once been to die, I wasn’t now. Instead, knowing I was giving life to a man who I loved and who loved me, provided me with the bliss I needed to continue my act.

  I could hear Ally crying beside me, begging me not to do this. I saw Davis carry her out of the room as she kicked and screamed, fighting to get to me. Sarah dug her head into John who too yelled for me to stop. Nelly sat back, afraid to speak- knowing nothing she could say or do would stop me now. Will walked away, his footsteps slowly fading out of sound as my body began to fade away.

  This was it. I was about to pour the last little bit of life I had in me to save Brad. I just hoped he would understand why I had done this. I hoped and prayed more than anything else that he knew how much I loved him. Even though my life as a werewolf was short, it had been more fulfilling and satisfying than the 21 years I had lived as a human. I would forever be grateful for Brad and what he had given me. I didn’t know what this type of death would hold for me, but I was ready and willing to give my life up now.

  As the last drop of blood oozed out of my wound, I felt my body fall back onto the floor beside the couch. As my eyes fought to remain open, I struggled to memorize Brad’s face one last time. As darkness began to take over, I knew that I was going to die with a smile on my face.

  All sounds escaped me and in those last final moments, all I heard and saw was Brad.

  CHAPTER 16

  My eyes shot open as I felt a strong surge of energy kick my heart into gear. My eyes shot open like I had been electrified and my body jerked as I levitated into the air before I came crashing back down again.

  Was this death?

  I tried to glance around the space, but everything was a blur. My eyes were fuzzy and all sounds were sharp and muffled. I tried to process the moment, but all I could gather was I was dead.

  Gone.

  “Amelia, can you hear me?” a voice rang through my ears. I couldn’t hear the voice clearly as it came through muffled like a radio out of tune.

  I tried again to open my eyes, but this time the haziness was more like a fog. My body ached and I wondered why I will still in pain. I thought death took away human emotions and feelings?

  “Amelia,” another voice echoed, only this time, I thought I recognized the sound.

  I felt something on me. Hands? I wasn’t sure.

  I tried one last time to fully open my eyes and this time, colors and images began to form and take shape. Hovering over me was Ally, tears streaming down her face.

  This couldn’t be correct. I was dead. Was I having some weird flashback in heaven? Or worse, in hell?

  “What is happening?” I tried to ask, but my voice was raspy and my throat ached.

  I remembered what I had done before I died. I had given Brad my life, drained my body of all energy and essence to save his.

  “Princess, you saved me,” a strong voice said to my right.

  Slowly turning my head, I felt a sharp pain from where I had sliced my own neck. Pure happiness and delight filled me as I saw Brad’s face before me. This had to be heaven. Only heaven would allow such a beautiful sight to shine.

  “Brad? How can I see you in heaven?” I asked as I tried desperately to keep my eyes focused on him.

  I could feel others surrounding me and I knew this must be some crazy illusion.

  A laugh escaped his lips as he caressed the side of my face with his strong hands. “Amelia, you are not in heaven. You are in Dark Haven with me. Where you belong,” Brad said as his voice broke.

  I gently lifted my hand and felt his cool skin beneath my touch. He seemed so real, it was almost cruel. “That can’t be,” I tried to argue. I was using all of my strength to speak through the searing pain crawling through my body. “I died. I gave up my life to save you. I love you so much Brad, enough to keep you alive...well...to keep you living as a werewolf,” I stuttered.

  Leaning down so I could really see his face, Brad looked at me with tears streaming down his beautiful face. “Amelia, you gave me life again. You did the unthinkable, but you allowed me to come back to you. When Davis pulled Ally out of the room, she raced to the freezer and gathered blood. We poured it into your mouth and brought you back to us. I can’t live without you. You are mine. I am yours,” Brad said with a sob escaping his lips.

  I glanced around and saw everyone looking down at me, tears filling all their eyes too. I had never felt loved before. Sure, I had been taken care of by my parents and maids and nannies, but no one ever truly cared about me. Not until now. It is strange to think I had to die to find the life I deserve. These people-werewolfs- loved me. They protected me. They fought for me. Nothing could ever compare to them. Nothing.

  “I’m alive? I’m still a werewolf?” I asked, startled by his admission.

  “You didn’t think I was going to let you go that easy, did you?” Brad chuckled through his tears.

  “I’m glad you didn’t,” I said as I looked up at him.

  Leaning down, Brad placed a soft kiss on my lips. He gently placed his hands underneath me and scooped m
e up into his arms. “Can I keep you?” he whispered.

  It was those words that he had once spoken to me. Words that held a promise of love and safety and showed his journey to finding and keeping me.

  “Always,” I answered as I nestled my head into his shoulder.

  Brad carried me past my new family who all patted me and kissed my head. I knew tomorrow they would each want to see me, but for tonight, I only wanted to be with Brad. He ran to his room, the journey only taking seconds as his legs moved at lightning speed. Once inside the room, he carefully laid me on his bed. Treating me like a fragile object, I almost giggled at him. He was being so careful with me, but in truth, I didn’t mind. I knew his body still ached and we all had a lot of healing to do, but as long as we were all together, nothing could destroy my family at Dark Haven.

  Laying down beside me, Brad tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear. He gazed at me with love filling his eyes. “Don’t ever do that again,” he said, as he carefully kissed my neck.

  “I would do it again. And again after that. Brad, I love you enough to give up myself for you,” I admitted again. While my actions proved that, it was something I wanted to make sure was ingrained in his head.

  Sighing, Brad began to trail his kisses lower down my neck and across my collarbone and shoulders. I knew we both wanted to make love, but tonight wasn’t about that kind of connection. That would again come in time, but for tonight and in this moment, it was about safety and love.

  “Amelia, I never want you to be put into that kind of situation again. I will do anything and everything forever to keep you safe and here with me. We have an eternity to be together, but even that isn’t long enough for me,” he stated, as his lips continued their descent down my body. “You are my queen. No one else will compare to you. No one can touch you,” Brad stated, with an intensity that caused my body to heat like wild flames.

  I laid my head back, reveling in his touch and caress. Rolling my body next to his, I nestled myself so that we were forming one shape as we lay in bed together. I closed my eyes as images began to flood my mind. I didn’t focus on the negative though. Instead, I focused on the beauty and the magic I had seen since coming to Dark Haven. My new life as a werewolf had just begun and there wasn’t anything going to stop me from living. I am complete now.

  The End

  What’s Next

  Love this story? Stay tuned for the second book in the Dark Haven Series, Night Stalker, to be released soon.

  For now, check out more books Leigh Allen by getting a glimpse at one of her top selling series, Hollow Cove Dreams Enjoy chapter 1!

  1

  Mia

  Sometimes I think that everyone’s life is screwed up. But others, are just better at hiding it than I am. It was the middle of my sophomore year, and my life was still one big disaster.

  “Move freak,” Gina sneered, as she shoved me against my locker. Her long, blonde hair swayed behind her as she sauntered down the halls of Hollow Cove High, like she owned the place. I guess, in a way, she did.

  Of course, the hallway was almost completely empty, but still, she felt the need to move me out of her way so she could have the full space to walk.

  I hate Gina.

  Ever since my parents died six months ago, I had forced myself out of my private school and away from my friends. Reluctantly moving to this hell-hole, they call public school. My brother Isaac, and now guardian, was afforded my parent's life insurance and decided to keep the business my parents ran, but I had to get out of that private school. Even though he begged me to stay there, reassuring me we could afford it, I just couldn’t. I had to get away from everyone I knew when my life was complete. Now, Isaac worked as the manager and owner of our mom’s coffee shop here in Hollow’s Cove. He had to give up his dream of becoming an attorney to take care of me. Thankfully, he was taking night classes at the community college, and working toward a business degree, but still, his life had changed just as much as mine had.

  Only, he seemed to be handling everything better than me.

  I went from being the popular and fun-loving teen at my private school, to now the angry new kid who no one liked.

  “Shut the hell up, Gina,” Grace yelled, as she made her way to my side.

  Well, at least one person liked me.

  “Looks like the freak found a friend,” Gina laughed, as her group of followers smiled next to her. Her blue eyes burned into me as she looked at me with disgust.

  “What is your problem?” I asked, snaking my hands to my hips.

  I could feel my anger rising and if she didn’t get away soon, I wasn’t sure what I would do to her pretty little face.

  “My problem is you,” she cackled. “You walk around here wearing only black and look like you are going to shoot up the place,” Gina stated. “Maybe you should just go back from where you came from,” she said, before flipping her long, blond curls over her shoulder and stalking away from me. “You think you are better than us here, but you are not.”

  “Give it a rest,” another student yelled to Gina. While Gina made me feel like the whole world was out to get me, at least I had a reality check that let me know it was just Gina and her gang of skanks that hated me. For what reason, I had no clue.

  I inhaled a sharp breath and closed my eyes. I was trying to remember the calming techniques Ms. Rhonda, my new school counselor, had taught me. We had weekly sessions and she was helping me get past my urges to hit everyone and everything.

  Truth is, I never had anger issues until after my parent's accident. Living a perfect life had given me no reason to hate the world around me. Now, I detested life in general.

  Maybe one day I could learn to see the bright side of things. But for now, I was left angry and jaded by a world that allowed two innocent people to be killed at the hands of a drunk driver. A vile human who was able to walk away from the accident without any injuries. The monster, who I had learned through police reports, had a severe alcohol addiction that she had been hiding from her husband for years. She thought it would be ok to drown herself in a bottle of vodka as she made her way to the mall. Little did she know, my unexpecting parents were leaving a date night, the same time she decided to chug down the remainder of her alcohol. It only took one unseen red-light for her to destroy my entire world in a blink of an eye.

  My brother Isaac and I had sat in a courtroom filled with a jury who looked at us with pitiful eyes. We watched as this evil human cried and begged for forgiveness from us. Her thin frame and thinning, blond hair made her look even more like the victim she pretended to be. For me though, I saw past her fake tears. I saw a selfish human who only thought of herself. Her friends and family all begged my brother and me to drop the charges. They were more concerned with their friend, than how she had destroyed my family—my world.

  Maybe I should have told the judge to give her a second chance. Maybe I should have told her I forgave her. But I couldn’t. She took away the two most important people in my life and left me cold and dark inside. So, I unleashed my hurt and begged the judge to lock her away forever. She had murdered my family.

  It wasn’t fair. None of this was fair. But, I was quickly learning nothing in life was ever promised, and it damn sure wasn’t fair.

  Links

  Find this novel, and more from Leigh Allen on these sites:

  Hollow Cove Dreams- Amazon- https://www.amazon.com/Hollow-Cove-Dreams-High-Book-ebook/dp/B07QPQN1J7/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=hollow+cove+dreams&qid=1571595353&sr=8-1

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