Falling into Darkness

by Shania Tyler

  She sighed once the space around her was clear and then jumped when she felt someone touch her side. She laughed and spun around to hug her friends Jenny and Kelly.

  Jenny, who was also wearing a black robe, grinned. “We did it!” But then after a sobering moment, she said, “Only Heather is missing.”

  Amity nodded, but said nothing further. Heather was safe, but Ronan had told Amity to allow the story of Heather’s disappearance to continue. Danny had opened their eyes to the evil workings at the school and the last thing either of them would do was put Heather in jeopardy again.

  She’d watched Ronan make her disappear, with the gentlest of touches. He never told her where he’d sent her, and though Amity had the ability to search his mind, she hadn’t dared.

  As if they’d all agreed on it, a moment of silence fell over the trio.

  Kelly spoke a minute later and said with a frown. “You can’t seriously leave me by myself.” Her face held no humor.

  Jenny rolled her eyes. “You’re not by yourself. You have the hunk, Ethan.”

  Kelly rolled her eyes, but grinned and then said, “Congratulations. I’m going to miss you guys.”

  The group hugged again, snapped a number of selfies that would make the Kardashians proud, and then said their goodbyes.

  Jenny cleared her throat and said, “I think someone is pretending to not wait for you.”

  Amity turned and smiled at seeing Ronan standing with a group of students who all wanted to talk to with him. His first public appearance had been a few weeks ago, at the faculty-sponsored end-of-the-year breakfast for finals and all the students had been amazed at meeting him.

  She watched as some of the girls scooted closer to him and shook her head. President or not, Ronan was an attractive man . . . vampire . . . elf . . . . Whatever he was, he was hot!

  And then he peeked over at her and gave her a quick wide-eyed expression that almost made her laugh. She walked over to him and said, “Mr. Scott, I’d like to discuss with you my nomination for the next head of Student Civil Rights Organization.”

  He nodded toward her. “Very well.” To the students he said, “It was lovely meeting you all. Have great summers.”

  Everyone waved goodbye and then Amity led him to a part of the auditorium she knew would be quiet since it was in the opposite direction of the parking lot.

  When they were alone, she said, “Your speech was very good.” He’d given the address to the students and it had been moving. He’d made it sound as though they were not simply entering the workforce, but a war of sorts, where there would be battles, tests, and trials. People would let them down, and circumstances would get tough, but if they all kept moving forward, they would reach their goals.

  “Thank you,” he told her, and then he looked around and grabbed her hand.

  Amity smiled and said, “What if someone sees us?’

  “I no longer care,” he said as he pulled her in a corner that left them unseen. “I’m no longer president, and you are no longer a student.”

  Amity smiled.

  Ronan leaned over and gave her a kiss that sparked her hunger.

  She moaned and slid her hands under his jacket and up his chest.

  He broke the kiss and sighed.

  “I love you,” she whispered.

  The pleasant look in his eyes left, but Amity went on before he had the chance to speak.

  She’d thought about this day since the moment he’d told her she couldn’t be with him and in the end, she didn’t accept his answer.

  “I’ve graduated from this school thinking that my place in this world was working for the government or some large corporation somewhere. Well, in the end, I’ve spent four years just to learn that my place in this world . . . or in any world . . . is with you. So, I’m going to be with you. I’m coming to your world and if you don’t take me, I’ll take myself. You can’t be the only person on this side of the door that knows how to get there. I’ll find someone and when I do, they will take me there and I will find you faster than your abilities ever could. I was born a fighter, Ronan. So, I’m going to fight for this.” She lifted her finger and moved it between them. “Us. I will fight for us and I don’t care—”

  He kissed her again, this time with more passion, as though a thing were possible. Then against her lips, he whispered something.

  “What?” she asked.

  “I love you,” he said, pulling away from her. Then he touched her cheek, and though his words were tender, his face was not. “Amity, my world is dangerous.”

  “I know.”

  “We could die.”

  “I know.”

  He frowned and then said quietly. “It will not be easy.“

  “I won’t change my mind,” she told him.

  He smiled and shook his head. “Where have you been all my life?”

  She shrugged. “You just had to wait a few centuries to find me.”

  He chuckled and kissed her again. Then he asked, “Are you ready to go?”

  Amity shook her head. “My parents planned a big party. I can’t leave them yet, but right after it, I’m all yours.”

  He grinned again and then kissed her.

  And later that night, when the party had ended and all had said farewell, Ronan opened the door and took her to Asea.

  They landed on the top of a hill and in the distance, a beautiful city of lights glowed like a jewel in the dark and whatever festival was taking place caused noise to float up to them in the wind.

  Amity whispered, “It’s beautiful. What does it look like in the daylight?”

  Ronan wrapped his arms around her from behind and whispered, “We have not known for almost three centuries. There is no daylight.”

  “What?” She turned around to try and see him in the dark, but found it impossible. “There is no sun? Your world has not seen sunlight for three hundred years?”

  “You are correct, but there is a prophesy that the eternal night will soon end.”

  Not being able to see Ronan’s expression, she turned back around and stared at the city below, wondering what life in Asea would be like. Her fingers wrapped around where Ronan held her and she felt him squeeze her.

  “If you have changed your mind—”

  “No way,” she said, leaning back into him. “I’m all yours.”

  “And I am yours,” he whispered in her ear. “Always.”

  She smiled and held him tightly, knowing she was willing to face this dark world to be with him.

  I believe you have enjoyed the story

  Falling into Darkness is a standalone novella, however it is a link to a bigger series, a much bigger world with longer (around 330pages) and more books in the series of Blackness Falls

  Map of ASEA

  “the further west one goes, the more savage it gets.”

  * Explore the world of Asea... *

  Are you ready to enter the door to another world- A forbidden world, a world full of darkness?

  Who will defeat the eternal night and bring daylight to ASEA?

  * * *

  Find out in this bigger universe with more complex characters and hot passionate romance!

  I have enclosed a sneak preview of Book 1 in the Blackness Falls series

  * * *

  It is currently priced at $0.99 (around 330 pages)

  Check it out below . . .

  ACT I

  Kidnapped

  * * *

  CHAPTER ONE

  “Beautiful, don’t you think?”

  Startled, Kelly Green whirled to find herself facing a stranger, a gorgeous man with black hair. His stunning green eyes reminded her of a St. Patrick’s Day Kiss Me shirt. They were the kind of green that only belonged in wild fields and vast grasslands. They glowed in a way that seemed impossible . . . especially considering they were standing in the dark.

  The classical music selection floated through the large space. The engineering department had transformed the first floor of the administrat
ion building into a showroom, but the atmosphere seemed straight out of a ritzy lounge in New York.

  Soft purple lighting bounced off tapestries that hung from the walls, and the chandeliers overhead had been dimmed to a muted, romantic glow.

  Small, circular white tables held the projects each of the students had worked on. The winning project would be built in the middle of Morwen University’s open field, or The Square as many of the students called it.

  The Square sat directly in the middle of campus, and Kelly would often head there between classes with a blanket, grab a spot on the grass, and study up for her next course. She wasn’t the only one. Tons of students did the same; some of the guys used part of the field for football, Ultimate Frisbee, and quidditch.

  Kelly didn’t want to see the area filled with gazebos or a pool, as she’d heard some students were presenting. She thought a nice American flag would do. But she’d come to support a friend and planned on staying.

  “You don’t agree?” the man asked, and she suddenly realized she’d been staring at him for far too long.

  He was dressed in a black leather jacket left open to reveal a gray V-neck tee, a pair of dark jeans, and black boots; a look that seemed out of place for the occasion.

  Kelly looked up again and blinked. “Oh, the model.” She looked at the model on the table before her. It was fountain. A beautiful fountain, but a fountain nonetheless, and she wanted it nowhere near The Square. “It’s nice.” Was it just her or had the words held more breath than she’d planned? She glanced his way without fully turning toward him to gauge his reaction.

  There was the slightest tug at the corner of his perfect lips before his eyes became hooded and he said, “More than nice.” Was he talking about her? His eyes held hers without blinking and his message was clear.

  Something about the way he looked at her made her feel . . .

  Her cheeks stung, and she looked away.

  She’d thought that after attending Morwen University for four years and being heavily involved in its student government, she knew pretty much everyone on campus. At the very least, she knew every hot guy. Her friend Piper had made a list of the top twenty hunks, and there was no way that this guy hadn’t made her top three.

  “Do you go here?” she found herself asking.

  He took a step toward her, and Kelly lifted her eyes up to his.

  Big mistake.

  His eyes were straight out of dream, a swirl of the lushest green, like looking into a field of clovers. She could only imagine just how far that grin and those eyes got him with women.

  “Yeah, I go here,” he said in a hushed voice, as though he were sharing a dark secret.

  “Night school?” she asked. It was the only way he hadn’t been picked up on Piper’s radar.

  He chuckled, and his large hand came up to stroke his jaw. “Yeah, night school.” She noticed he wore a ring around his middle finger. The pure-blue stone was spectacular.

  “What are you studying?”

  His hand fell away, forcing her eyes back to his. “At the moment? You.”

  She giggled and shook her head, sure her face would split into two if she stuck around him long enough. “I mean, what program? Business? Law?” She lifted her hands to gesture toward the room. “Engineering?”

  “What do you study?” he asked.

  She narrowed her eyes, wondering why he’d dodged the question, but letting it go. “History.”

  He nodded and then managed to step even closer to her. “The air is warm in here. Would you like to step outside with me?”

  She lifted a brow. “Uh, it’s actually cooler in here.”

  “Then I change my mind,” he said smoothly. “The air is much too cool in here. Come outside with me?”

  She laughed again and tilted her head slightly. He had the slightest hint of an accent. European almost, but not quite. It was somehow . . . hard to her ears, with a roughness that seemed to come from his throat. “I have a boyfriend.”

  “Great. Does he allow you to go outside?” The playful smirk returned.

  She closed her eyes and managed to hold most of her laughter back. She’d been lying when she said she had a boyfriend. She’d had a boyfriend until earlier that semester, but he didn’t need to know the details. “Not with men in the middle of the night.” Or during the day, for that matter. The stranger’s handsomeness was only matched by his persistence, and Kelly was finding both very appealing.

  “Would it help if I promised to be on my best behavior?” His face was a mask of innocence, which only made Kelly laugh more.

  “Best behavior? I’ve a feeling your best would still get me into trouble.”

  “You’re right,” he smoothly said, a playboy glint sparkled in his eyes. “Honestly, I can’t picture any man being well-behaved with you around.”

  His words were like a blow to her gut, and she looked away. If only he knew.

  “Don’t men compliment you?” he asked. When she gave no reply, he lowered his voice and said, “When I came here tonight, I told myself I’d approach the most beautiful woman in the room. I didn’t know she’d be the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”

  Kelly gripped the edge of the table.

  “And gods, those eyes . . . you should never be allowed to close them. They’re much too stunning to shut away from the world.” After a moment, he said, “Won’t you look at me?”

  She didn’t dare.

  “Shall I stop?” he asked.

  Kelly couldn’t speak, and she didn’t want him to stop, but she nodded. He had to be playing her. No one had ever said anything like this to her.

  An arm wrapped around her shoulders. She jumped, thinking it was the handsome stranger, but instead found her boyfriend—ex-boyfriend—Ethan. She hadn’t even known he was there.

  Ethan narrowed his blue eyes at the other guy and said, “Stay away from her.”

  Kelly’s eyes widened, and she turned to stare at Ethan. “Ethan!” She’d never seen him this way before.

  The other man smiled, holding Ethan’s gaze, but then he looked at her, bowed, and turned away, fading into the crowd.

  Kelly pursed her lips at his departure and then turned and stepped out of Ethan’s possessive grasp. “That was kind of rude, Ethan.”

  “He was standing way too close to you.”

  “We were just talking.”

  Ethan lifted a cocky blond brow, and Kelly had to admit that her ex was hot. He was tall and toned. He’d played football while they’d been in high school, but upon entering Morwen University four years ago, Ethan had given up the game. Kelly didn’t understand why; he was built for it. “That guy was trying to get under your skirt.”

  Kelly rolled her eyes and mumbled, “At least someone is.”

  Ethan looked away. “Look, Kelly—”

  “Forget I mentioned it.”

  They were silent for a moment.

  “You look nice,” he said, finally able to meet her eyes.

  Kelly stared up at him and gave him a tight smile. “Thanks.” She looked down at her dress and thought she looked . . . more than nice.

  The black jersey knit dress had a deep scoop neck, a nipped in waist, and a hem that flared out above her knees. She wore black heels, and her only makeup consisted of mascara and red lipstick.

  She’d somehow managed to get her shoulder-length, unruly blonde hair to defy the humidity and glow like a crown around her head. She had then stuck pearl studs in her ears.

  All in all, she’d spent a good two hours on herself and all she got from Ethan was that she looked “nice.”

  “What are you doing here?” Kelly asked as she looked Ethan over. He’d dressed for the evening in a black shirt and black suit that fit his athletic physique perfectly. He looked great for someone who’d said he wouldn’t show. “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”

  “Last minute decision,” he said, as he closed the distance between them and took her hands. “I wanted to be with you.” Ethan wa
s like a work of art. His skin glowed as though it’d been kissed by the sun every morning; there was not an imperfection in sight.

  They had their issues, but he was always willing to go anywhere and everywhere with her if she asked. She never had to beg for his attention. He gave it willingly and without thought. It had been that way since they’d first started dating in high school, though she’d known him her whole life.

  They’d grown up in Morwen, Connecticut and had both attended Morwen Academy. Kelly had always thought him cute, and Ethan had become like a brother to her. They’d never been more than friends . . . until high school, when Kelly had started thinking about boys as more than just playmates.

  During freshman year, Peter Flint, another awesomely handsome guy, had passed her a note in English class asking her to go out with him. Kelly and her friend Meg had squealed with delight, and their excitement had gotten Ethan’s attention.

  When they’d made it to the hall, Ethan had demanded to see the note.

  Kelly had willingly passed it over to him and watched the anger draw his blond brows together. Then he’d crumpled the note.

  She remembered how livid she’d been at Ethan, but in the next minute, all the anger was knocked out of her when Ethan pressed his lips to hers.

  It had been her first kiss.

  His mouth had taste like bubblegum, which had made her giggle later. He’d asked her out, she’d said yes, and they’d been dating ever since.

  Eight long years until a few months ago.

  No breaks ups or time outs, no I-need-some-space, or maybe-we-should-see-other-people. It was always Kelly and Ethan. He’d become like a limb, a part of her that seemed just as vital as air . . . until Kelly had decided she’d had enough.

  “Kelly, you made it!”

  Kelly turned and smiled at Meg, giving her a hug when she approached. “Of course, I did.”

  Meg turned to Ethan with surprise in her green eyes—normal green eyes, not like those of the handsome stranger. “What are you doing here?” Meg asked Ethan.

  Ethan put a possessive arm around Kelly and said, “Thought you might need my support.”