Beneath the Darkness

by Harley Jane Rose

  I started throwing punches and kicks at the punching bag, and tears followed. Every time, I fought to pull my mind from the horrible images and sounds. I could hear bones cracking and Luca screaming as he learned to live with a life he never asked for, and I wanted to shut the whole world up. Crying pissed me off. I felt weak, and I didn’t ever want to feel like that again. Weakness couldn’t protect my family and friend from the creatures around us. I couldn’t even protect Luca anymore. I didn’t even know if I’d ever see him again.

  I took all my anger and pain out on the stupid sack of sand that hung in its fancy packaging. I didn’t care about my knuckles; I could hit them till they were bruised purple and splitting, for all I cared. I kept going at it, and eventually, through all the tears and anger, I couldn’t see the sack. I hit blindingly, closing my eyes as the tears fell, pushing one last kick before I lost its positioning and it swung back, knocking me on my ass.

  I couldn’t be bothered to get up. I lay back and covered my face in my hands as I cried silently. Through my forced quiet, I heard footsteps softly walking along the padded floor. They were slow and careful, and I listened closely. My hands didn’t move, but I stayed ready, knowing that regardless of who it was, if they came too close, I’d attack.

  “I think the sandbag’s had enough,” the voice said, making me smile.

  “Samuel Fresca, don’t you dare come near me when I’m crying,” I warned, noting that he’d seen me cry and get knocked on my ass by an inanimate object. I did not want his pity. “Do, and I guarantee I’ll knock you on your ass.”

  The footsteps stopped but did not retreat. I heard shuffling and peeked through my hands to see him remove his shoes. I watched in confusion as he removed his shirt and singlet too. I was mesmerized in surprise and fascination as I noted his defined torso.

  “What are you doing?” I asked quickly.

  “I’m here so you can knock me on my ass!” He smiled.

  “I’m lost, and why are you taking your shirt off!”

  “Get up and spar. You’ll figure it out eventually.” He winked, his smile replaced with concentration as I made my way to my feet, the amusement never leaving his eyes.

  I snapped my leg out quickly. He took the impact but swung it through and pulled my weight to the floor. His cliché move made me smile, and I realized quickly what he was doing. Fighting a real person meant I had no room for extra thoughts.

  As I went down into the floor, I rolled out the impact and swiped his feet out from under him, jumping back up. He got up quickly too, circling me for a bit. I flung my arm for a cross-body punch, but with it, he turned me around, used it as a barrier, and held me back against his body tight, my arms unable to move. I could feel his head away to the side, so I couldn’t use my own as a weapon. I hooked one leg behind his, pulling forward at the back of his knee, one side of him collapsing and rolling us to the floor. I managed to get on top of him, my knees holding his arms and my feet pushing his legs down. I practiced the position we’d been taught and held my hand as though I might choke him.

  “I surrender.” He smiled, amused. “You can let me go now.”

  I released his arms and felt unease shift over me as he sat up, with me still straddling him. He was so close. Without barely a pause, he leaned forward, placing his lips against mine, his hand moving up to hold my face to his. I didn’t fight. I didn’t push away. I could feel heat and electricity everywhere we touched. I ignored the sweat from both of us and could feel the overwhelming bright heat that radiated from me. I kissed back, holding on to his biceps that held me safe and away from the overwhelming world for this moment. I lost my needs and thoughts for anything excepting him and I. With my legs around his waist, he moved us so that he’d laid me down, holding himself over me, his kisses insistent and his hot bare skin pressing harder against my thin crop top, and I was brought back to reality. I put a hand on his chest and pushed him back up slightly. I caught my breath as he took in my expression and seemed to get it. I stared at his blue eyes, searching his face for any hint of frustration, finding none. I smiled.

  Slowly, making sure I was watching, he lowered himself in a push-up position closer to me and then rolled off to the side to lie beside me on the padded flooring. We both lay there, coated in sweat from the make-out or the spar. I wasn’t sure anymore.

  “Show off,” I whispered, and the floodgates of laughter broke free. He couldn’t contain himself, and I found it too contagious and easy to laugh along with him. Eventually, the laughter died, and tiredness threatened to pull me into the earth.

  “I should sleep,” I said sadly. I made no effort to move though, fighting the tiredness to stay with him.

  “Me too. Don’t worry,” he said, getting to his feet and extending a hand to help me up. When I got up, I was too close yet again, and he slowly bent down, kissing me softly. Finally, he moved away, a big grin forming on his face as he disappeared through the door, and I found myself unable to breathe properly in the aftermath of it all.

  CHAPTER 11

  Bianca

  “All right, so a refresh on what we’ve learned this month in theory,” Axton said, pacing in front of our class. I was in awe of Axton as a teacher. He knew every answer to every question asked of him by heart, and he even gave us real-world examples from his own life.

  “Weaknesses of a vampire?” he asked, and hands including my own were hesitantly raised. Making eye contact with me, he called for my answer.

  “Sunlight, holy objects later in their lives, and rowan or oak stakes,” I said, checking off my mental list.

  “And?” he pushed, and I fell blank.

  “Decapitation,” Elora answered, giving me a smile. At least I’d made friends now who were happy to save me from embarrassment.

  People had finally started to interact with each other as our training settled into a pattern, and we learned how to pick most things up. In our very limited amount of spare time and meal hours, I would be in the company of Elora, Sam, and Seraphina. I was pretty sure Sam loved being the only boy in the group, and the other girls didn’t mind. I was pretty sure they could tell there was something between Sam and me, but they never pushed for information. Since our first nighttime sparring session, there had been plenty more—less crying involved, thankfully. We didn’t go further than kissing when it turned into that—I wouldn’t let us—but he didn’t seem to mind.

  “Who can give me the history of what we know of the vampires?” Axton questioned, watching hands rise. I didn’t try. After missing out on weaknesses, I felt my confidence on the history fading, pretty positive I’d leave something crucial out.

  I watched Elora’s hand shoot up, and once she was called, I heard her launch into her intelligent babble on everything she’d memorized from Axton and her textbooks. I zoned out, watching her go, hand expressions and all, giving every little detail, although I wasn’t too focused on her words.

  Her dyed purple hair was slicked back, trying to make a statement. She was very focused and driven, but she liked to play around when she was able. Usually, she wasn’t the hyperactive type, but when in a place of knowledge or paired with our other friend, Seraphina, the two of them would feed off each other’s energy and jump around like water sprites. When she was done, Axton clapped his hands once and dismissed us. We were packing up and leaving as he spoke.

  “Tomorrow, we will refresh our fighting techniques against a vampire, and then we will begin syllabus on the werewolf.”

  I felt cold at that. I would be learning how to kill my best friend and his new family. A hand grabbed mine for a second and let go.

  “It’s okay,” I heard Sam whisper.

  “Thanks.” I wasn’t sure how much I meant it in my worry.

  As the group wandered off down the hallway, Sam pulled me off to the side. We watched Elder Axton pass before returning our attention to each other. As he leaned me against the wall and kisse
d me, my worries of Luca faded away for a moment. When I was around Sam, I sometimes worried that I would forget about Luca and everyone else completely. The thought scared me. He had been such an integral part of my life and the reason why I had all my lives today. I never wanted to forget that.

  All too soon, the kiss was over, and our stolen moment had to end as the bell for meal hour rang through the compound.

  “Come on. Let’s go.” He pushed, holding my hand and leading me down the hallway where Elora and Seraphina waited. They chatted on, including us in the conversation, as we approached the dining hall. Sam held my hand till the moment the doors opened, and then we were separate once again. I knew that it wasn’t forbidden, but having emotional distractions such as these during the extended training was generally frowned upon.

  Seraphina bobbed around excitedly, her short black hair moving wildly as she had her fantasies of food, and I could see Elora absorbed by her energy and getting excited as well. The two of them were so close sometimes it scared me despite how different they were.

  “Take bets, B. What are we having?” Seraphina asked me, jumping up and down in anticipation. Before I could even smell the air, I started guessing.

  “Carbs. They need to load us up with them.”

  “Pasta!” Elora cheered, running for our usual table. We all sat, and she got up, ready to move for the serving area quickly, pulling Seraphina along by the hand.

  “You go, El. Sam and I will wait here,” I told her and watched them go.

  “You still worry about him, don’t you?” Sam asked quietly.

  “Of course I do. He’s my best friend and now a werewolf. It isn’t really a safe and pain-free lifestyle.”

  “I get it,” he started, “but you got to trust that he will be okay. He has a pack now, and you know they protect each other with their lives.”

  “I know.” I sighed. I knew Sam was trying to help. Sometimes it felt he was, but other times it felt like he was tired of me missing my best friend.

  “You also know that Euphoria has been peaceful for generations now. We only learn to fight for precaution and peace-keeping missions,” he said, and that reminder helped me calm my state of mind.

  We were quiet after that, both of us thinking. I was trying to reassure myself of Sam’s words; Luca was safe because Euphoria was peaceful. But my mind had started to run with the possibility of what would happen if our fragile peace broke.

  CHAPTER 12

  Morana

  I didn’t want to feel it; I knew what it meant, but it was like telling a starving ogre not to walk toward the smell of cooking flesh. I knew as I walked toward the grove that something would happen. I didn’t know what, but I could taste the death as though I were licking the corpse.

  If I fought, my head hurt more. It was my nature—my curse—to watch.

  I stood in the clearing, confused at why I was here. I heard the snapping of branches that signaled approaching footsteps, and I bolted for the tree line. Climbing my favorite tree with ease, I watched the scene before me unfold.

  I knew what they were the second they stepped into the grove. Hunters. Horrible humans with the belief they had the power to kill any of us as they pleased. It was a peaceful time, so none of us could show them how wrong they were, but one day they’d see.

  I watched them with the slow steps, eyeing the tree line ahead of them, looking for something. I was curious as to what they were hunting; they weren’t allowed to hunt peaceful supernaturals without provocation.

  “Where did that rabbit go?” the lead one said in such a way that I wondered why his fellow hunters didn’t call him up on his lie.

  “Jayden, let’s just go,” his second said. It didn’t seem Jayden cared. He strode across the clearing, headed for the forest ahead, and hit an invisible wall, collapsing on his back on the ground. His two fellow hunters looked as though they might come to his aid but didn’t. Jayden got to his feet and retreated a few steps before hitting another wall.

  I covered my mouth to suppress a laugh. I watched as he walked to the perimeter of an invisible circular wall. The stupid hunter had found himself stuck in a faery ring. I kept forgetting why I was here, and I wondered which of these hunters was the one to die.

  I observed Jayden as he slowly realized what I already knew. It was entertaining to watch, almost comical, how he tried uselessly to escape. The only way to leave was for the fae to let you out or the circle to be damaged. I didn’t think hunters weren’t taught the latter because of how taboo it was; only the fae knew of the whispered possible consequences.

  A small light appeared in the circle, growing larger and larger until it blinded the whole clearing. When it faded, one of the elves stood tall and expectant in front of the hunter. Alva. Hiding in the leaves high, still glimpsing the scene below, I prayed he wouldn’t sense my presence. I could see Jayden stiff and on edge as he watched Alva carefully.

  “Why have you summoned us, hunter?” He spat out the title like it was a disgusting word he hated the taste of.

  “I didn’t. I stumbled into the circle,” Jayden said simply.

  I knew he was watching his words in front of an elf, but Alva would know better. He always did. I tried not to think about the lies I’d told him and how he’d picked them up straightaway. He always knew.

  “Why were you in this grove?” Alva pushed calmly.

  “We were making sure all here were protected.” Jayden spoke clearly, and even I could tell that was a lie.

  “You know, it is an offense to lie to an elf,” Alva spoke. “Once you have, you must stay in the Otherworld forever.”

  I giggled; he used that joke too many times. Somehow though, it never lost its edge. Jayden wasn’t like the others though. Most begged and pleaded or tried to run, but to no avail. I watched his second move quick, running for the circle. The cold, dead feeling hit me. I jumped from the tree before I knew what my body was doing. Alva’s head turned the second I touched the ground. His eyes showed he was happy and horrified to see me.

  I ran for the circle, and the scream erupted from my lips. All the hunters noticed me then as my scream resonated through every corner of the grove. I should’ve moved earlier. I knew I wasn’t going to make it, but I had to. The outside hunter grabbed his iron knife from his sheath as he ran, sliding along the ground as I made a grab for him. It was too late. As the hunter slid over the mushroom line with the iron knife, he hacked at them. The second the mushroom smashed, it was like a hunter bomb had gone off. Thrown backward and to the ground, I could hear ringing in my ears and the taste of death consuming my mouth. As I opened my eyes and started to sit up, I wished I hadn’t. I came to my feet to see the hunters, disorientated but relieved, holding their iron knives. Both were now inside a broken circle, and Alva was lying in the grass.

  “What have you done?” I yelled. “Do you know what you unleashed?”

  Neither answered, but Jayden moved aside, letting me see the body, his knife covered in elven blood. I could feel the rage building inside me as the tears leaked from my eyes.

  “He made a joke, and you killed him for it!”

  They stared at me, horrified, defensively holding their iron knives as if they might make the distance and try to kill me too.

  “If you know what I am, then you know they won’t work,” I said snidely, and I watched as they went over their precious training. They still looked confused. “Let me give you a clue.”

  I screeched at them, the resonance splintering the tree behind them. Blood started to drip from their eyes, coming faster and faster until Jayden and his fellow hunter each fell to the ground, the life in their eyes fading away to the blank eyeballs of tissue. The scream stopped, and I turned my head to the third hunter who had done nothing.

  “You know the truth. Let no one speak different. I hope your hunters are ready for the darkness to come,” I said softly, knowing it carried
to him as he slowly turned and left, bowing his head sadly.

  I moved over the hunters’ bodies as my blood tears continued to stream down my cheeks. I fell to my knees beside Alva.

  “I’m so sorry,” I cried into his chest. “I’m so sorry.”

  I cried for a time before anyone found me. I was surprised they found me at all.

  Elijah, Alva’s brother, touched my shoulder, and I felt the calm earth magick push through me, reminding me of Alva’s water magick. I still felt the hole in my heart where he had been, but the magick helped me stand and do what needed to be done. Elijah had tears down his cheeks too, and I knew it must have been just as hard to lose his younger brother. His sister, Tahlia, appeared a few seconds later, using her air magick to lift Alva’s body from the ground and into the air.

  Body. The word made me feel sick, and only the magick in my veins stopped me from swaying too far off my feet and falling over. He looked so serene. Like maybe this was all a dream, but the stab wound reminded me of the reality. Elijah furrowed his brow, staring at the blood-soaked circle.

  “We can’t undo the blood spilled, and all we can do is help to remedy the consequences.”