West (A Darkness Series Novel)

by Stacey Marie Brown

  “What?” Rez’s forehead lined with worry.

  Everyone looked to me.

  “What? What is going on?” Panic curled around Rez’s vocals.

  “Oh Jesus, West. She doesn’t know?” Ember threw out her arms.

  “Did Eli tell you?” I shot back.

  She angled her head, her gaze on Eli. “Actually, no, he didn’t. Gabby told me.”

  “Thanks, man,” Eli grumbled over his shoulder at me.

  “If I’m going down, so are you,” I mumbled back.

  “Someone tell me what’s going on,” Rez exclaimed.

  I opened my mouth to tell her.

  “It means I cannot kill you.” Lars spoke, his voice void of any emotion. He pushed back his shoulders, tugging at his sleeves. The demon shifted slowly back into the man. “Not unless I want to start a war with the Dark Dwellers.” When he spoke, all attention was pinned on him. “I am a smart enough man to understand what Cole and I have built to keep this new world moving forward is far more significant.”

  Confusion still etched over Rez’s face. I strode to her. “What he is saying is my beast claimed you, darlin’.”

  “Excuse me?” Rez faulted a step back, keeping a slight distance between us, her shoulders rising defensively. “Claimed me? I will not go from one keeper to another. I am not a dog.”

  “See?” Eli said to Ember, motioning to Rez. “Exact reason we never had this conversation.”

  “I think it’s because you are a weenie.” Ember folded her arms, teasing.

  “Can’t go five minutes without bringing up my weenie, can you?” He lifted one eyebrow.

  Ember blushed and she shook her head. Then she turned to Rez. “I know it’s scary to hear. Believe me.” She went to Rez, taking her hands. “Especially to one of these Neanderthals. But it’s not like that…” She cleared her throat. “You love him, right?”

  Rez glanced over at me, then nodded.

  “Then that’s all that matters. Just because he claimed you doesn’t mean you aren’t free to decide what you want. You can walk away whenever you want.” Her eyes filled with compassion, then turned harder. “I threaten to walk daily. Keeps him on his toes.”

  Eli snorted behind me. I almost burst out laughing as well. Those two couldn’t go a few hours without tearing each other’s clothes off. The love they had for each other was nothing I had ever seen. They were in it for life. And Dark Dwellers lived a hell of a long time.

  “This does not interest me.” Lars pulled focus again, snapping our heads forward. “I may not choose to kill either of you for reasons I feel are far more important. However, this offense cannot go unpunished. You’ve made me look weak. The influx of people vying for my spot will hinder our ability to move this world forward.” He rolled his head and slowly moved to me, magic punching my chest. “Now for the one thing you did promise me. The spear.”

  My beast growled inside, angry at the thought of giving it up. The moment I handed it over, the beast would be confined again, locked behind agonizing bars of torture. It was like handing my soul over to the devil. But I made that deal long ago.

  “You will not hurt her?” I asked.

  “No, I will abide by this favor. Nonetheless, she will still pay.”

  “But she is free to go. Do whatever she wants?” All I wanted was to know she was alive and free to choose whatever she desired.

  Lars pinched his lips together. “She will be free of my bed and banished from the house, yes.”

  It wasn’t exactly what I wanted, but I knew he would not do better. I nodded. “The spear is in the safe so no one could sense it.”

  Rez came to me, and in her gaze I knew she understood what it meant to lose the artifact. I was giving up an entire part of me, my identity, my being.

  I glanced into her chocolate brown eyes, full of love and concern for me. I may have lost part of me, but I didn’t lose my soul. That was with her. I reached up, running my hand over her cheek. “I’m in love with you too, darlin’.” I didn’t care if the Unseelie King was watching. I leaned over, bringing her mouth to mine, kissing her deeply. It was quick but filled with everything I didn’t say. Then I turned to Lars. “Okay, I’m ready.”

  He stared at me, then gave me a firm nod.

  “What are you doing?” Ember moved toward Lars and me, but Eli was quick to grab her. “No! Let go. Lars, you said you wouldn’t hurt him.”

  “Ember. Stop.” Eli drew his arms tighter around her body, pulling her into him. “This has to be done. West has to pay for his crime.”

  Ember was still new to the Otherworld rules. She didn’t understand how honor and appearance ruled our world. I defied the laws and stole from the Unseelie King. There was no way around it. Rez’s silence showed how well she understood this. And for Rez, I would take whatever punishment he felt I deserved, tenfold.

  “I will not kill him, Ember.” Lars clasped his hands. “But just.” When he faced me, his yellow-green eyes glowed. “West Moseley, from here on out you will be bound to me, to use as I see fit. There is not one thing you will refuse to do for me. I own you. Do you understand? By taking something of mine, I take from you.”

  “Yes.” The weight of his words yanked me to my knees, the beast growling to fight back, but it could not rise above the damage. Between the pain of not shifting and Lars’s magic, sweat oozed along my hairline, locking my jaw.

  “Do you agree to the terms? Night or day, you are at my whim? My slave, my killer, my messenger.”

  “Lars, don’t! Please,” Rez pleaded, falling on deaf ears. Taking a Dark Dweller’s freedom was like putting a leash on a wild panther. It was an act of great power and cruelty. Some things were worse than death. This was the only way he would not lose respect for keeping me alive.

  “West understands if he doesn’t agree, he gives you up,” Lars coolly replied. He was right. This was how it worked. If I kept the girl, I lost something equally important. “I think we all know he won’t do that.”

  Even if she chose not to be with me, I still would have agreed to his terms. The beast allowed for no less when it came to its mate.

  “Do you consent?” His voice growled, and his eyes returned to black. The demon fired under the surface.

  “Yes.”

  The connection came down on me like a noose. I heard Ember whimper. She knew the sensation of one of Lars’s binds. In fact, everyone standing here had been bound to Lars one time or another.

  “Elighan.” Lars’s skin faded from olive to white again, sharpening the features of the demon always simmering underneath. “Please take Ember and Rez away.”

  “No!” Rez’s knees skated over the dirt, falling next to me. “I’m not leaving him.”

  “Rez…” the demon king warned.

  “No.” She shook her head.

  “Go.” I angled my head to her, fighting against the pressure curling around my muscles as sweat poured down my temples.

  She cupped my face, her eyes wild. “I can’t leave you.”

  “Yes, you can.” I leaned my head into hers. “I don’t want you to see this, darlin’.”

  She gave a choked whimper.

  “Please?” I whispered. “Let me have some dignity.” The legend of Lars’s torture was gut twisting. I had no doubt it would not be pretty, and I didn’t want her to see me weak and whimpering.

  “Damn you.” She gripped my face tighter. “Using your southern charm to make me weak in the knees and agreeing to whatever you say.”

  “That’s the plan.” I winked.

  She inhaled a choppy breath and pressed her lips to mine. She stood, keeping her back rigid as she walked over to Ember. Eli stood in place when the girls reached for each other. They took each other’s hands and disappeared into the night.

  I am here for you, Eli sent me through our link.

  Thanks. Let them get far enough away.

  Don’t want them to hear you blubbering like a baby?

  I was gonna say something smart-ass, but all I cou
ld say was, No.

  Eli nodded in understanding.

  I can’t turn anymore, Eli.

  I know. Cole told me.

  Fuck, Cole knew?

  I don’t care, brother. You are a Dark Dweller, whether you shift or not. That doesn’t change who you are.

  I blinked, looking at the ground, then back at him.

  Eli’s mouth pinched together, fighting back the wave of grief and indignation he felt on my behalf that came rushing through our link. It’s funny when you realize how much you love someone. Because I was older, Eli and I hadn’t been terribly close growing up. But that had changed. Now I sensed a million threads binding us, making us closer than any blood brothers. When I’d been closest to death and useless, Eli had carried me out of the Otherworld, ignoring my pleas to be left behind. We never spoke of it, but from there on out, there was no one I trusted more. I had always been restless, searching for home, when I had it all along.

  I nodded but said no more; I didn’t need to. He felt it. He gave me a nod back, bowed away, and followed the girls into the darkness. He would stay close. I knew it without a doubt, and he would be the first to retrieve me.

  I sucked in breath and pointed my gaze at the King. This was going to be bad. And not being able to shift after to heal more quickly would only make Lars’s sentence sweeter for him. Lars would be able to kick the ever-loving shit out of me without moving from his spot or getting his knuckles bruised.

  Lars didn’t utter a word but transformed completely to demon as the first surge of pain burst into my head. I crunched my teeth together, trying to keep the wails beating against my ribs from leaving my throat as more abuse hammered my mind. He growled and my body flew, slamming my back into the earth. An invisible hand clenched my throat while I felt my mind was shoved through a grinder. Every muscle strained and burned, feeling like I was stretched on a rack while being burned alive. Sounds came from my throat, tearing across the sky like lightning.

  The worst of this was being frozen in place, not able to curl in a ball under the onslaught of pain. Lars’s black eyes held nothing but cruelty. He clenched his fist and agony slashed up my spine like nails being driven into my skin.

  Lars stepped over me, reached down, and grabbed me by the throat. “I. Am. King.”

  Then his face pinched, and it was like my head split in half, shredding my entire body head to toe. I bellowed, quickly losing logic or reasoning, my beast pulling my mind in protectively. I was sure vomiting and screaming were involved, and the world spun in the most agonizing anguish I had ever known.

  Time and objects around me lost meaning, I was simply one long nerve being twisted in ways it never should. Eventually I succumbed and pushed out the torment while my mind sheltered itself in a sea of blackness.

  Pain thrust me into the dark and it brought me out. Sharp and agonizing. My head was the first thing I sensed. It throbbed like it had its own pulse, leaving my thoughts stuck in thick mush. Every nerve in my body burned and zapped through the hurt in my body.

  I was awake, but I couldn’t seem to drag myself past the paralyzing pain. All I could hear was a beeping noise along with low murmurings. They slowly grew clearer till my brain could make out words and comprehend them. Then I fell back into nothing. Several times I reached consciousness only to be pulled under again.

  My mind started to fill the darkness with images. A beautiful woman, her smile, brown eyes…her musical laughter. Food smeared over her face; her singing at the top of her lungs to the radio; eating cookies naked on the floor.

  Rez. I called her name in my mind, pulling me through the murk. My lids jolted open, blinking to clear my vision until an off-white ceiling came into focus. Because of the smells, the feel of the bed underneath me, I knew instantly I was home, tucked in my own bed. How and when I got here, I didn’t know. Right then, nothing felt better.

  Home.

  For centuries I struggled to find mine. To find my place. And in my journey it only led me back to the family I walked away from, never thinking I fit in. It was now the only place I knew I did, with people who loved me, who would die and kill for me. I had been too selfish before to see what I had, too stuck in what I didn’t have to see what I did.

  “West?” Eli’s face loomed over me, lined with worry. His brown hair messy, his scruff appeared a little thicker than normal.

  “Hey,” my parched voice cracked.

  “Jesus, man.” He raked his hand roughly over his face then into his hair. “Fuck, you gave us a scare.”

  “Rez?”

  “She’s fine.”

  “Where is she?” I felt she wasn’t near; my body had its own GPS for her. Once your beast claimed, it was part of the package deal. Eli had talked about this when Ember left him the first time. No place on earth existed where he couldn’t find her.

  I could still “feel” Rez, but some internal instinct said she wasn’t close.

  “Drink this.” Eli held out a cup of water.

  I tried to sit up but balked against the shooting pain. Eli stuffed a few pillows behind me, pulling me up. I took a long drink while my gaze scoured the room. Chairs, blankets, and a couple of mattresses stuffed every free corner.

  “Did Cole rent out my room to a bunch of vagabonds?” My voice sounded raspy and could barely be heard.

  “Most of us have been sleeping in here, or at least taking turns.” Eli pulled up a chair and sat down. “Like I told you, you gave us a scare.”

  “So you have a slumber party without me? Nice, brother. If you tell me the girls had pillow fights, I’m going to kill you.”

  “Nah.” A cheeky grin hinted at his mouth. “But Cooper and I did.”

  “Ugh.”

  “Naked.”

  “What’s sad is it wouldn’t surprise me,” I rasped.

  “There might have been a couple games of pin the tail on the jackass.”

  “Let me guess…”

  “We didn’t want to leave you out. It was your party.” Eli smirked.

  “Nice.”

  Eli’s gaze dropped, his expression turning serious. His voice sounded low and gruff. “We didn’t think you were going to make it.” He leaned forward, gripping his hands together. “Lars was a little angrier than we thought.”

  I bobbed my head, looking at the cup in my hand.

  “Man, what the hell were you thinking?” Eli shook his head.

  “I wasn’t.” I shifted higher and my jaw slammed together. I took a few breaths, letting the sharp sting disappear. “I did at first. Tried to ignore it. But…”

  Eli laughed harshly. “Yeah, that damn but…”

  “You of all people should know.” I rubbed between my eyebrows. “Believe me, she was the last person I expected or wanted for the beast to claim.”

  “I do know.” Eli grinned; his green eyes glinted. “I fought Ember as hard as I could and somehow I would still find myself near her. Now that fucking woman has my balls wrapped so tightly she could place me under a Christmas tree.”

  I guffawed, which switched into a groan. We sat a few moments in silence.

  “I’m sorry, man,” I said quietly.

  “For what?”

  “For everything. For choosing Lorcan. Blaming you for Cammie. Disappearing for so many years. Not being here.”

  “There’s nothing to be sorry for.”

  “I was such a dick. Took my past out on you guys. Lost my way.”

  “Jesus, man. I went AWOL for over two years. I was unbearable. I misplaced my way so bad Cooper threatened to challenge my ass for my position.” He held up his arms. “But we’re family. We love each other no matter what. You have never been excluded from that...ever.”

  “I know.”

  “And for Cammie. Fuck. I carry that around every day. I was so young and new to being second-in-command. I handled it all wrong, and a girl died because of it. I’m the one who’s sorry, man.”

  “It was my fault. I freaked out and thought if I told her the truth, tried to force the beas
t to claim her, everything would be all right. And eventually she would accept what I was. I was a fool.” I shook my head. “You can’t force the beast, and now I understand the difference of loving someone and finding your partner in life. I’m forgiving myself for Cammie. I hope you can, too.”

  Eli nodded and cleared his throat.

  “Yeah, enough sappy shit.” I set my cup next to me, realizing something. “Wow, it took me nearly croaking to get you to come home.”

  Eli sniggered, rubbing his face again. “Yeah, everyone thanks you for almost dying.”

  I knew why they didn’t want to come back. The ghost of Jared, Owen, even Samantha, haunted this house. They would always be here, but every day it eased a little.

  “How did we get back here?”

  “Em,” Eli replied. “Only she seems to understand how the doors work.”

  Cole barreled through my door, followed by Cooper and Gabby.

  “West? Shit. You’re finally awake. I was about to come in here and kick your ass till you woke up.” Gabby came stomping up to my bedside.

  I couldn’t help smiling. “Missed you too, Gabs.”

  “Screw you! You totally freaked us out.” She leaned over me. “Never do that again. Do you hear me?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  Cooper pushed his twin sister away, moving next to the bed. His bleach-blond hair a contrast to his sister’s hair, which today was black with pink tips. “So glad you are awake, man.” He gripped my hand in our special handshake. I tried not to look like a pussy and flinch at the jerky movement.

  “Aw. The love.” I grinned playfully.

  “Nah, man, I just need you to get back to work. I’ve had to take on more than double without you. I’m tired. And needing a night off to get laid.”

  “Not something I need to know.” Gabby shuddered.

  “Like I need to know about you and Alki,” he bickered back. “Need to bleach my brain.”

  “Oh please, living in this testosterone-filled house is bad enough. I hear you guys have sex all the time. Eli and Ember in the shower this morning? I still can’t eat.”

  “You were eating my peanut butter right outside the door when we came out.” Eli turned in the chair, shouting back.