Dark Seeds

by Tish Thawer

  Dark Seeds

  by

  Tish Thawer

  * * * * *

  ~ An Ovialell Series Novella ~

  Copyright 2017 by Tish Thawer

  All rights reserved

  Table of Contents

  Contents:

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Glossary

  About the Author

  Dark Seeds

  An Ovialell Novella - Book 1.5

  As evil creeps across Ovialell, the Goddess Diana searches for the Darkling responsible and the person pulling his strings. Little does she know that Fayln, the Unseelie fae queen, is responsible for so much more than siding with the Darkling. She’s also has taken something that could turn the tides in the upcoming war.

  Zakrill will do anything to retrieve what was stolen from his people. But, the discovery of a mysterious item in the hands of the Amazons has everyone scrambling to put the pieces together and find out just who will have the upper hand in the end.

  Chapter One

  The orbs floated on the hidden pond, just as Zakrill intended. Picking their hiding spot hadn’t been easy, but the small body of water tucked deep within the land of the fae would serve as the perfect breeding ground.

  “Infect the water and the trees, spread the evil within these seeds. Activate upon my command, transforming this world into a realm of the damned.” The black ooze within each of the spheres churned and bubbled to life, ready for its release.

  Zakrill faded into the shadow of a nearby tree and watched from beneath his hooded cloak as the inky tendrils spread throughout the water. The orbs began to radiate a dark-blue glow, bringing into sharp relief the skeletons of animals floating upward from the depths. The once clear water was now opaque and throbbed with malicious intent.

  When the process was complete, the water returned to its natural state, laying the perfect trap for any unsuspecting wanderers. He cackled as the pulse of evil spread beneath his feet. “Inlavey will soon be ours.”

  “I truly hope so, because if your seeds don’t do the job, it will be your bones that I scatter across the land instead,” a seductive voice threatened.

  Zakrill turned to see the Unseelie queen emerge from the depths of the forest, her black hair a severe contrast to her milky-white eyes. “Fayln, I didn’t feel you lurking about.”

  Dark power emanated from the queen, triggering his internal alarms. It was a foreign feeling, since his dark magick had always been unrivaled in this realm. He knew the Unseelie queen had always hungered for power, but as her opaque eyes pierced his own, he regretted bestowing her with that very first taste.

  “How long will the infection take?” she asked bluntly.

  He looked at the orbs and the now decaying earth surrounding the pond. “No more than a few days.”

  “Good. That’s very good, Zakrill. Now be a good partner and give me a boost.”

  Lately, her requests for a magickal recharge had been occurring more and more frequently, along with Zakrill’s dread at having to perform them. Unfortunately, if he was to keep his plans a secret, he’d have to continue to play along.

  Zakrill lumbering to her side, Fayln flung her arms out wide as. Meticulously, he shoved his good hand through her flesh, straight into her heart. Convulsing as magickal shocks flowed into her system, Fayln began to writhe and moan. Her reactions were more intense than usual, and when a sudden dark surge radiated from her core, Zakrill yanked his hand away, knowing instantly what true evil felt like.

  Chapter Two

  “Since when have you been able to harness dark magick?” he asked, cradling his hand to his chest.

  “Since I took it upon myself to visit the ruins of your world and found this.”

  Zakrill gasped as one of three ancient tomes from the collective Book of Shadows––the most precious possessions of the Darkling elders––appeared in Fayln’s hands. He lunged forward. “How did you find that?”

  Fayln snickered and the book disappeared. “You have your secrets, and I have mine. Now, just stay on task, and perhaps one day I’ll allow you to re-familiarize yourself with a few of its spells.”

  A hiss escaped his lips as she faded into the shadows, a mocking sneer plastered on her face.

  Oh, don’t worry. I’ll be visiting you very soon, Zakrill thought to himself. Turning back to the lake, he watched as the inky sickness spread to the last tree that encircled its edge and smiled. Very soon, indeed.

  Zakrill stalked back to the portal at the far eastern border of Inlavey, cursing he hadn’t been able to break the protections which blocked any other means of travel. If it wasn’t for the Goddess Diana’s stringent rules, he could disappear and reappear anywhere within the three levels of Ovialell as he pleased, but until that changed, the portals were the only route from one world to another.

  Ovialell was made up of three levels; Upper World being home to Dalestri––the city of the Goddess herself, her Witches, the werewolves, and the island of Themiscrya, where the Amazons lived. Middle World, where he’d been forced to skulk for the time being, was home to the fae. Karistan––Fayln’s Unseelie dark realm, and Inlavey––home to her Seelie counterpart, Queen Shay and her light court. “Not light for long,” Zakrill chortled. Finally, Lower World contained two cities––Obsidian and Hel. Since he was the only Darkling left, most of Obsidian had been overrun by vampires, while Hel remained the last stronghold for the demons. “Just another situation I have to rectify.”

  Zakrill slunk towards the portal, hoping to return to Obsidian and check on his underling, Gage––a vampire so willing to do anything in return for a few nuggets of magick, it made the queen’s thirst for power seem mild.

  Gage had become the only vampire able to walk in the sun, utilize mind-control, and dream-walk into people’s subconscious. He reveled in his superiority among his kind and had proven quite useful in the menial task Zakrill had assigned him––kill any potential Witches that were triggered.

  The Witches were a coven of powerful witches who ran with the Goddess Diana during the Wild Hunt and were charged with protecting the citizens of Ovialell with their magick and healing abilities. Every time one Witch fell, another would be triggered to take her place. By eliminating those potentials, Zakrill had been able to keep them from reaching their full powers––a little tidbit he’d learned in exile after being banished from this realm during the Great Rift.

  Zakrill sneered and spit at the ground as he thought of Aradia. For it was she, Diana’s daughter, who had cast him and his brethren to the lost realm of Abrinthill––a once thriving demon world––upon their defeat in the war. They had spent thousands of years recuperating, trying to regain their magick, and finally after centuries of in-fighting, the Darklings were given a gift. A portal had opened in front of the abandoned castle they called home, and out stepped the Unseelie queen.

  Fayln had offered them a once in a lifetime opportunity. The Darkling with the most power––a status they must prove by eliminating the rest of their kind––would be able to accompany her back through the portal and return to Ovialell in exchange for helping her gather enough magick to challenge the Goddess Diana.

  Hence my current dilemma, Zakrill thought with a shake of his head.

  Zakrill had proven his worth by eliminating the remaining Darklings then followed the queen back to her castle in Karistan as the last of his kind. It was then that he bestowed Fayln with a few new powers before taking his leave as his own plots started to form.

  “Stupid,” he muttered to himself. Th
e idea of taking on the Goddess was one he was familiar with. Afterall, the Great Rift had started because his people wanted to rule Ovialell, much like the Unseelie queen did now. However, this time around, ruling was no longer his goal. Revenge for their banishment was initially at the forefront of his thoughts, but now, he had a new goal in mind––a quest to rebuild his race.

  Zakrill’s initial step had been recruiting Gage, summoning dark magick to create the perfect assassin which had maimed him in the process. The loss of his hand was the first sacrifice to the cause, one he would never regret if it contributed to the rise of the Darklings once more.

  Reaching the portal, Zakrill turned back towards the forest and chanted, “From my hand, I infect this land, both light and dark shall no longer stand. Force them to combat each other, keeping my goals hidden under cover.” With his last spell cast, Zakrill stepped through the portal and emerged into the darkened city of Obsidian.

  Chapter Three

  The endless night of Lower World was a gift from the Goddess Diana, a place for the nightwalkers to exist without limitations. Zakrill walked through the portal and marveled at the orderly lines of vampires, calmly waiting their turn to enter the portal in search of their nightly meals. Even though the vampires were a vicious bunch by nature, they’d learned to live in peace here in Obsidian.

  No longer restricted by Diana’s travel limitations in the Lower World, Zakrill used his magick to disappear and reappear outside Gage’s apartment––giving him and his new girlfriend an air of privacy, instead of emerging in their living room as he usually did.

  Gage had summoned him recently, panicked that he’d accidentally sired a new vampire. Zakrill recalled the memory and chuckled.

  . . . . .

  “You summoned me?” he asked, his voice like razors on a chalkboard.

  “Yes. I’ve sired a vampire and need to know the consequences of the action, since the situation was...unique.” Gage got straight to the point.

  Zakrill hobbled towards Gage, reaching out with his right hand to gently stroke the white shards lying on the counter. He’d instructed Gage to use the bones of his lost extremity to summon him if need be.

  “What is so unique about a vampire siring another?” Zakrill asked, refocusing on the task.

  Gage shifted on his feet, clearly nervous about sharing the intimate details. That, or he simply didn’t feel comfortable in Zakrill’s presence. Either worked for the Darkling, as fear was a fantastic motivator.

  “I used one of the powers you bestowed upon me to summon Devin into the dreamscape, and while mating with her, I drank her dry. She awoke back in the human realm, but within a day, she completed the transition and arrived in Ovialell as a full vampire,” Gage quickly explained.

  Zakrill had noticed Devin hovering in the background, but kept his back to her, his gaze locked on Gage. He raised his cloaked head and smiled as Gage’s stoic expression flinch under his scrutiny.

  “You are free to use your powers as you wish, but since my dark magick flows through you, all that you do is also bound by that connection. Your vampires will not gain your power, but the bond you share will be very unique.”

  Gage nodded his head in understanding, but the bob of his Adam’s apple as he swallowed hard indicated he wasn’t completely satisfied with the answer. “What if I were to choose her as my mate?”

  Zakrill turned to Devin. “Any vampire you create will be...tainted.” He cocked his head, popping his neck in and out of place as he crept in her direction. “They will have a tendency to become more vicious than those created by regular vampires. If she can handle the increased darkness that will always be a part of her...,” he stopped within arm’s reach, “...then you’ve made a wise choice.”

  Zakrill’s right hand shot out, suddenly grabbing Devin’s entire face in his grasp. Her body was rendered immobile while her mind was flooded with images. He watched scenes of her ripping throats open with her fangs, fighting with the speed and strength of a true supernatural being, as well as images of her and Gage having sex while soaked in their enemies’ blood.

  Zakrill released his grip, and Devin’s eyes rolled back in her head as she stumbled backwards into the wall. “You’ve chosen well. She will be a great asset to our cause.” Turning back to Gage, he continued with a scratchy voice and demented smile on his face.”Enjoy your new mate.”

  Zakrill then disintegrated, collapsing into an oily black ball of matter, but before he disappeared completely, he noticed Devin staring at his left arm that had protruded from underneath his cloak; his left arm that ended in a handless nub.

  . . . . .

  Zakrill shook off the memory and raised his right hand to knock on the door.

  “Who is it?” Devin yelled.

  “Zakrill. May I enter?”

  Disheveled sounds of rapid movement echoed from behind the door as Zakrill waited impatiently.

  “Just a minute.” Devin’s breathy reply left him wondering if he’d caught them at a bad time.

  The red-headed vampire yanked open the door with a vicious pull. “Come in, we need to talk.”

  The strangeness of her demeanor didn’t escape his notice. “What’s happened?”

  “Gage is dead.”

  Chapter Four

  “How and by whom?” Zakrill asked, the tick in his jaw increasing.

  “Aryiah. She is Aradia reincarnated.”

  Shock and disbelief flooded him, but for only a moment as he gripped Devin’s face and watched the scene of the returned goddess replay within her mind.

  Devin angrily pulled out of his grip, and in a blur of speed raced into the kitchen. “There’s more.”

  “I can only assume.”

  “Gage’s powers...your powers, were transferred to me when he died.”

  Zakrill stared at Devin, measuring her words against the thread of magick he could feel in the air. “I will need to probe you to verify your claim. Will you allow me?”

  Devin flinched. “Not sure what you mean by probe, but sure, since you actually asked this time.” She walked back to him, lifting her chin, clearly expecting him to grip her face again.

  “It’s not something I can accomplish by touch alone. I’ll have to enter your mind and body with my magick. Do you agree?”

  Devin stopped short. “Aren’t you at least going to be me dinner first?” she quipped, making the assumption he meant sex. However, that was not the case at all. He flicked his right hand in her direction and his nails elongated, becoming sharp talon-like claws that protruded from his fingertips. “I need to pierce your skin in order to confirm my magick within your blood.”

  “Then, yes, I agree.” Devin breathed a sigh of relief and walked forward, unaware of the pain she was about to face.

  Zakrill grabbed her wrist with his hand, then spun around and tucked her arm close to his body, pinning Devin’s forearm to his side. Shoving his claws into the sensitive flesh beneath her wrist, he held on tight as she gasped and writhed. “Magick of mine, flow through time, from me, to my progeny. Show yourself, seeded anew, flowing with power, through and through.” Black trails of dark magick flowed through Devin’s veins, rising to the surface in a painful display. A scream tore from Devin’s throat as Zakrill dropped her arm. “You are correct. You now possess all the powers that I bestowed upon Gage. The question is, what will you do with them?”

  Devin flew from his side. Panting, she splayed her hands on the kitchen counter to steady herself. “You mean I actually have a choice? That I’m not required to serve you?”

  Zakrill took one step forward, carefully considering his next words. He could tell her the truth––that she was of course bound to him, and through that bond he could control her if he wanted to. But a voice in the back of his mind whispered that the smarter thing would be to foster the evil he’d seen inside her and let the choice be hers alone. “It’s completely up to you. But if you choose to help me, as Gage did, then revenge against Aryiah will be your first mission.”

&nbs
p; Devin straightened her spine and squared her shoulders, sneering at the mention of her previous best-friend’s name. “Then count me in,” she growled past her fangs as she thought back to their last encounter that had ended with Gage’s life.

  . . . . .

  Aryiah pleaded, “Why are you doing this?”

  “Because I can’t tell you how sick I am of hearing how different and special you think you are,” Devin snarled. “With the ‘odd’ things that always seemed to happen to you, and how blessed you felt when you got that great job at such a young age. You spent your life alone, acting like a martyr after your father died, refusing to live or enjoy the money he’d left you. Stupid! You always thought you were better than me. Well guess what...now I’m as special as you, and you’re going to pay for making me feel second best.”

  . . . . .

  “Damn right she is,” Devin promised herself.

  Chapter Five

  Zakrill left Devin to plot her revenge in private. Honestly, he didn’t care what she planned to do, as long as it served as the distraction he needed. There was no time to waste when it came to acquiring the Book of Shadows. Since all his other plots and plans would fall into place once he regained it, getting that book was now priority number one.

  Zakrill whispered a spell and dissolved into the black inky shadow that would magickally transport him to his next destination upon Lower World. It was his only way of rapid travel, since true shading wasn’t a possibility for those outside the Wild Hunt. Only they could enter the Shadowlands, shading from one place to another while remaining hidden from the rest of the world. Lucky bastards, he thought. Again, just another restriction placed upon the realms by the Goddess Diana that perhaps the book would help to alleviate.

  Emerging in his private workspace––a cave he’d warded from all prying eyes after the goddess had pierced his veil recently––Zakrill began to gather the necessary ingredients he’d need for his recovery spell. His hope was to not only locate where Fayln was hiding the stolen book currently in her possession, but also, to find the other two missing tomes as well. The Darklings’ collective Book of Shadows was made up of three tomes and had been lost for centuries, so the idea of Fayln finding one and using it to her advantage, had set his blood on fire.