by Cameo Renae
“No. Your father kept her secret. He didn’t want anyone to know what she looked like, and he never mentioned her name just in case we were questioned.”
“Oh,” I breathed.
If I was going to die, I’d like to confirm who my real mother was. With all of the information, everything was pointing at Alaine, but I’d never get the chance to ask her.
My hands and feet were throbbing and my fingers were numb, like there wasn’t enough blood flowing through them. I couldn’t think of anything else but that pain.
“Could you please loosen these ties,” I asked sweetly.” I know I’m going to die, but I’d like to do it with my limbs intact.”
He quickly strode over to me. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. He quickly untied the ropes from my hands and feet. “They will be back soon, so you need to leave quickly,” he breathed.
“What?” I questioned, baffled. Was he letting me go?
“Listen to me Emma. You need to move quickly. Go left as far as the tunnel will take you. At the end will be a large cavern with a waterfall. Jump down to the pool below and swim beneath the waterfall. There you will enter another cave. Take the tunnel on the right. Remember… it’s the right tunnel that will lead you out.”
“Wait. What about you?” I asked.
This was a place that I didn’t want to be alone in. I knew there were lots of Darkling out there.
“I’m going to stay here and hold them off as long as I can,” he said lifting me from the chair. “Now hurry, Emma. Before they come back,” he urged.
“But won’t you get into trouble? Why are you doing this?” I asked. My heart was pounding with adrenaline.
“It’s a small favor for an old friend. I know he would have done the same for me. Plus, I need a bit of excitement in my life. This past century has been such a bore,” he winked.
Century? I shook my head.
He quickly led me to the door and sniffed the air. “You must go… Now!” he spoke with urgency. He pushed me into the corridor and pointed me in the right direction.
“Thank you,” I said, turning and giving him a hug. He hugged me back.
“What’s your name?” I asked.
“Danyel,” he answered. “Now run!”
I bolted down the darkened corridor as fast as my feet could carry me. They were still numb and sore from being tied up. It was dark, and the few torches attached along the walls offered very limited light. The pounding of my heart was much louder than the pounding of my feet as it echoed through the tunnels. I kept my hands alongside the walls for balance. My converse shoes were still wet from being in the river, and were constantly rubbing against my ankles. But the pain was the least of my worries right now.
Danyel. His name rang through my mind. Even if he was with the Fallen – he saved me.
Loud screams echoed down the corridor. I paused for a moment and listened. And then I heard a voice.
“RUN, EMMA!” The voice yelled as loud and clear as if it were directly into my ear.
My pulse raced as I took off again, twisting and turning down the tunnel. I couldn’t hear footsteps, but from what I remembered… I didn’t hear any when Kade and Alexander were running through the woods either.
I glanced back over my shoulder and saw another elongated shadow on the wall. It looked like one of those freaky shadows in horror movies; the ones where nothing good was attached to the end of it.
I heard the sound of rushing water ahead. I finally came to the end of the tunnel, and stood directly in front of another cave opening. It was an underground river, and about ten yards away was a drop. The waterfall. I stepped in and gasped as the frigid water rushed over my feet. I waded deeper. Sharp, jagged rocks were everywhere.
I was now knee deep and started to shiver. The water felt like it was flowing straight from a glacier.
My teeth clattered loudly against themselves. It w-w-was free-e-e-zing! I slowly made my way toward the edge, and glanced over the waterfall. My stomach twisted. It was at least a 50 foot drop. Danyel made it sound so easy. Just jump in and swim under the waterfall? Yeah right! But, there was no other way down. The water below looked dark, eerie, and totally uninviting. What was under there? Rocks? Darkling? Strange creatures that could bite me?
A horrible stench suddenly burned my nose. I turned to see two dark figures standing at cavern’s opening.
The Darkling.
They looked at me through their evil, black eyes, grinning through their sharp rotted teeth.
“Come child,” one hissed.
“Don’t you dare come near me!” I yelled, trying to sound brave, but my words were shaky.
“We won’t hurt you,” the other one said.
“Like hell you won’t!”
They inched closer, so I stepped closer to the edge.
“Jagged rocks down there. You’ll die if you jump. Break your pretty, little neck,” one hissed in an evil tone.
They were slowly moving closer and closer. Way too close for my comfort. I could smell their hideous odor and it was making me sick. I’d rather jump and die on my own terms than let them kill me. I’ll take my own chances, but I couldn’t let myself think. Thinking was bad right now. Really bad. I needed to act before my brain went into rationalization mode, telling me how stupid I was going to be.
“Don’t be foolish child.” One lunged for me.
“Go to hell!” I screamed, took in a deep breath, crossed my arms in front of me, closed my eyes, and pushed off of the edge.
God help me!
I dropped over the falls. My stomach tickled with a weightless feeling, and in a few seconds I plunged into the deep, frigid waters below. I wanted to suck air in. It was a natural instinct when instantly submerged into freezing water, but I pinched my nose and held my breath. It felt like sharp blades were piercing every part me.
As soon as I broke surface, I gasped. My body trembled violently, trying to warm itself as the glacial falls pounded on my head like ice hammers.
At least I was still alive and practically in one piece. I struggled, trying to get my shivering limbs to function and swim under the falls. Danyel was right. I entered another small cavern. A solitary torch lit two tunnels. Right or left. My brain was frozen. I was pretty sure he said to go right. I hoped it was right.
I suddenly heard two loud splashes behind me.
Holy hell! When was this nightmare going to end!?
Adrenaline kicked in… or what was left of it. If it wasn’t for that, I’d definitely be an ice angel…or at least three quarters of one.
I drug my shivering-to-the-bone body out of the water. Numb fingers and hands barely managed to pull myself up the rocks. I felt so weak. This time, I grabbed the torch off the wall, and headed down the right tunnel. I was tempted to light myself on fire to heat up, because I was frozen to the core. It didn’t help that my clothes were soaking wet which made it harder to move.
My thoughts went to Kade. I hoped he and the others were safe. Given the horrific circumstances I was in, at least I was alive and free – for now. Pure adrenaline kept my feet pounding through the dark tunnel. The faint stench of Darkling emanated from the walls.
“Emma!” Someone call from ahead.
I stopped dead in my tracks. My breath ceased.
Who the hell was that?
I didn’t answer and waited. Maybe it was dementia from hypothermia.
There were already two Darkling on my tail. But what if there were more ahead? If there were…I was trapped and screwed.
Crap. I was dead. The only weapon I had was the torch, but I was so weak from shivering that I could barely hold it up. Now, more than ever, I’d wished I’d had those special powers everyone was talking about. Heck…I’d even take the gun right now!
“Emma!” the voice called out again, louder. It was definitely in front of me, and it was male. But it wasn’t Kade or the others. It sounded older. I strained to focus down the dark tunnel, but I couldn’t see a thing. All I knew was that if I didn’t
move soon, my muscles would seize.
“Emma! Move it!” the voice scolded.
Okay. Whoever it was, they were demanding. That was a good sign that they were trying to help.
Growls echoed behind me and even more splashes, so I decided to take my chances and run towards the voice.
I ran about ten yards and suddenly saw a figure. I screamed as it reached for me, and swung my torch at it.
“Emma! It’s me,” he said, catching the torch and steering it to his face.
“Who?”
“Me. Your friend from the woods.”
It was the bum guy that I’d met outside of Alaine’s home. Emotion rushed over me and I fell limp into his arms.
“Emma, you’ve got to be strong. Just a bit longer,” he urged.
He threw me on his back, and I locked my legs around his waist and my arms around his neck. He dropped the flame on the ground and took off.
He was definitely one of them. Like Kade and the others, because it felt like we were flying.
I couldn’t see a thing as we made our way through the pitch black maze, but I could tell he was traveling fast. Cold air whipped against my face as he glided effortlessly through the cavern. I held on tight, my body molded and froze to his. And then, I saw a glimmer of light up ahead.
“Emma, when I put you down, I want you to run. Run and don’t look back. Do you understand me?”
“Yes,” I answered.
Loud growls echoed from the tunnel. The Darkling were coming.
As soon as we exited the tunnel, my lungs and nostrils were happy to breathe in clean, fresh air. But my body was numb and fatigued from the cold and constant shivering. The mysterious man took off his long trench coat and wrapped it around me. I hugged it close; his warmth still lingering in it.
“Thank you,” I said. He might have looked like a bum, but his jacket smelled so sweet, like expensive cologne. “Who are you?” I had to ask. I mean, really…who the heck was this guy? I’d met him twice, in two different areas, like he was following me. I had to get his name.
“A friend.”
“A friend? That’s it?”
“Do you need more?” he asked, with a tilt to his head. “Let’s just say I’m sort of a guardian.”
“So you know Danyel?” Maybe they were working together on the inside.
“Danyel?” His brows furrowed. I took that as a no.
“He’s the one that let me go.”
“He…let you go?” He said more to himself, but as he did, his eyes softened and he smiled at me.
“Yes. He let me go. But, wait. Aren’t you coming with me?”
“No.”
“You’re going to make me go out there all alone?
“You’ll be fine Emma.”
“But those Darkling! There’s too many of them! What if they-”
“I’ll be fine.” He smiled and nodded, taking my chin in his hand. “Now go. Run and find the others.”
I didn’t question him, but my heart didn’t want to leave him to fend off the Darkling alone. But I was much too weak to help him anyway. I wondered how this stranger, my hero, fit into my crazy life. Right now…my mind was reeling with enough crazy crap, like trying to stay alive.
“Go!” he urged again.
I turned and ran. A few minutes later there were loud growls behind me. I quickly dove behind a large tree and turned to peek. My hero was crouched, in attack mode, glaring at the exit of the cave. Two Darkling approached him, flanking him on each side.
He lunged at one of them, whacked it in the face and then tumbled to the ground. And in the same fluid motion, he reached for something in his boot, and rose to his feet behind the other Darkling. The Darkling screamed, reaching for a weapon which had been embedded in its back, but was unable to free it.
The other Darkling charged at my hero, kicking him in the chest, sending him flying backwards about twenty yards landing hard against a tree. He groaned, curled into a ball. He was hurt, and I suddenly felt sick.
The Darkling was on him again, grabbing his arm and flinging him against another tree. He hit hard and dropped limply onto the ground, just as three more exited the cave. I watched in horror as he tried to get up. He was so brave, but he didn’t have a chance.
The Darkling quickly surrounded him, sniffing the air around them. One bent down, wrapped his fingers around his neck, and slowly lifted him up.
“Where’s the child?” it hissed.
He didn’t answer.
“Speak now or die,” it threatened.
Holy crap! This wasn’t happening! It can’t be happening!
I closed my eyes tightly and hoped that when I opened them, everything would be gone. But when I opened them again, everything was still the same. Crap!
“She’s free!” my rescuer yelled. He spit in the Darkling’s face and laughed loudly. The Darkling punched him in his stomach before flinging him to the ground.
“Take him to Lucian,” he motioned to the others.
Four Darkling reached down and grabbed him, binding his arms behind his back.
Damn it! I couldn’t take it anymore. He risked everything for me! I had to get away or everything he did for me was in vain. I wasn’t about to let that happen. I might be a girl, but I wasn’t a wimp and hell if I’d go down without a fight.
I slowly backed up, and while their attention was turned to those carrying him away… I ran. I ran deeper and deeper into the woods, getting more and more lost. I didn’t know where I was running, I just knew I wanted to run far away from them… and the further I got the better.
I heard the sound of water. Maybe it was a river, but it was faint. Before I was taken, we were crossing a river. Maybe if I stayed near it, I’d find the others. That’s all I had to go on right now. There was nothing else, but at least I had a plan.
I quickly maneuvered through the forest toward the sound of the water and finally found it. It wasn’t large, maybe ten feet wide. My mouth was dry and I was thirsty, so I bent down and cupped the cold water in my hands and took a sip.
Branches cracked in the distance.
My head snapped up, listening. I heard more rustling through the trees.
Damn! They were coming!
I had to think of something.
Think Emma…think!
They’d catch me for sure if I ran. All I knew is they had a great sense of smell. So, I’d have to be cunning, and somehow use that against them.
I quickly peeled out of the warmth of my hero’s coat and sent it floating down the river, using it as a decoy. Maybe they’d catch the scent. It was the best I could come up with.
The ground beneath my feet was soft. I bent down and felt it. It was thick, cold, squishy mud. I wondered if it would cover my scent. Hey, it worked for Arnold Schwarzenegger in the Predator. What else did I have to lose, besides my life?
I quickly grabbed handfuls of mud and rubbed it all over my face and body – everywhere that was exposed. Then, I found a small grove of trees and overgrown brush near the river and laid flat on my back between them. I figured that if they found me, I could fight better on my back, than on my belly.
I listened quietly. My breath would be the one thing that would give me away. It was too fast, and I was having a difficult time trying to slow it down. I was terrified, lost in the middle of some godforsaken forest, with wicked creatures searching to kill me. I’d definitely need some MAJOR therapy after all of this. And that was only if I survived.
A whiff of Darkling burned my nostrils. Branches cracked all around me, and there were splashes in the river alongside me. They were close. Too close. I froze in place, trying not to breathe. My heart pounded furiously against my chest wanting to break free and run away. I didn’t blame it. I wanted to run too.
I turned, and a white face with glowing eyes peered into the darkness just above me. Holy shit! Its eyes were glowing like a cat, hunting its prey. It was sniffing the air, and took a step closer, pausing inches from where I was laying. I was froze
n, petrified.
He bent his head down and was a few feet from my face. I closed my eyes; my lungs on the verge of bursting. He took in a deep breath.
My heart sounded like a war drum, pounding loud and hard in my ears.
A piercing scream from another Darkling cut through the silence.
It was downstream.
The Darkling on me, shot up, and took off down the river. They must have picked up the scent of the coat. I sucked in a deep breath. Cold, wonderful air filled my lungs.
Thank you, God! Thank you! Thank you! Thank You!
I had to stay still, silent, until they were gone. I didn’t want to move knowing they were out there hunting for me.
Where was Kade? Where were the others? I’d even settle for Caleb. I hoped they were out there, alive, and searching for me.
Chapter 14:
I must have fallen asleep, because sudden warmth rushed throughout my frozen body. I dreamt I was being whisked away on a soft, white cloud, drifting quietly through the forest, and then up above the trees. Nothing could see or hurt me as long as I was on this cloud.
A bright light began to emanate around me, and then I heard a soft whisper; a familiar whisper calling my name.
“E-mma, E-mma,” the voice sang out.
I knew that voice. That comforting, warm voice.
“Mom? Mom!” I called out.
My mother’s face slowly appeared before me, like a hologram, on the edge of the cloud.
“Emma. Emma, my sweetheart. I’m so sorry.”
“Mom? Where are you?” I cried, trying to push out of the cloud, but it wrapped itself tightly around me.
“Emma, your father and I did our part to watch you grow safely. Now, you need to know what you really are and where you come from. She has all the answers, and she will take care of you now,” my mother spoke. Her face was solemn, glowing.
“Who? Who are you talking about?”
“You’re mother, Emma.”
“But you are my mother,” I cried, as tears streamed from my eyes.
“Yes, sweetheart. Only for a time; a wonderful time. But, you must be careful, Emma. There are things that you don’t understand, things that want you dead. They are afraid of you, Emma, and will be afraid of what you will become.”