Leaning down in a very slow manner, he licks his lips before he takes ownership of mine.
He licks my lips silently asking for an opening, when I let him take full control. He pushes me back against the wall, kissing me like his life depended on it. His hands roam my body, while I try to keep a very tight hold on my towel.
The passion in this kiss makes me weak in the knees, and Trace has to hold me up against him.
The need for him takes over.
He suddenly pulls away from me and takes a deep breath, putting his head in my shoulder.
He kisses my shoulder one last time, and puts a hand to my cheek. His eyes are that deep crystal blue color again, with no trace of his demon side. He looks deeply into my eyes before revealing, "You are mine baby."
A shiver of pleasure runs down my spine with his possessive statement. I nod, and he presses a kiss to my forehead before leaving the room.
Stuck in a state of shock, it takes me a few minutes to get back down to reality. I look over at the black dress sitting before me and sigh in defeat before getting dressed.
When I'm fully dressed, I leave the room and head downstairs.
The house is eerily quiet.
Not a soul in sight.
When I get to the kitchen, everyone is dressed in black and is talking in very quiet voices.
A strong hand runs down my arm, and grasps my fingers intertwining them together. Tingles run through my body once again, when I look up and see Trace standing next to me in black slacks, and a black button down shirt. His hair is still styled in a messy manner that makes him ooze sex appeal. His cologne surrounds me, instantly making me relax.
He leads me out of the kitchen, through the entryway and to one of the black cars waiting for us. He opens the door for me, and I get in silently putting on my seat belt.
The other doors open and close around me, but I drown them out and focus on what is about to come.
Once we arrive at the cemetery, everything stops, when I see people gathered around my aunt's casket.
I open the door of the car and get out.
Slowly I make my way towards the crowd.
Stone Cold.
With each step I take, the further my heart breaks.
Stone Cold.
The weight of everyone's stare rests heavily upon me, while my eyes are focused on the casket before me.
Stone Cold.
Silent tears fall, as the images break their way through my barrier.
Cold.
Broken.
Bruised.
Alone.
My breathing becomes erratic, as my steps falter.
Innocence.
Is what they stole from my family.
I will make them pay for everything they have done.
Chapter Nineteen
Trace
"How does it feel Trace?
How does it feel to know that you will lose your beloved soul mate?
You will mean nothing to her.
You will be the scum of the Earth she walks on.
She will destroy anyone and anything that gets in her way.
She will be mine.
Try as you might, but you will not be able to save her from the dark forces that consume her."
I pull on the restraints that bind me trying to break free.
"Burn in Hell you son of a bitch!"
"Hmm. I think you will make a fine demon, son." He continues to stare at me with those blood red eyes, studying me.
He walks closer to me and picks up the iron rod, placing it against my naked chest. A burning pain rips through me, but no sound escapes my lips.
I keep my mouth shut while he continues to torture me.
"Did you honestly think that I wouldn't take the one who is bound to her, and turn him against her?
It's a shame really, everyone thought that you two would live a happy life. When in the end, you will be the one handing her over to me."
Venom laced my words with each breath I take. "I. Will. Kill. You."
He chuckles darkly, shaking his head in refusal. He grabs the back of my head, lifts it up towards his, and takes the rod and pushes it against my throat.
"You will do as I say, or I will make you remember the way I take Hartley as my own."
My eyes widened at the gruesome thought.
"Don't worry Trace, I will take care of her for you. She will be my dark queen and I will worship the ground she walks on."
"Fuck. You!" I spat in his face.
"Do you think you are in a position to deny me? You're a worthless piece of shit! She will never love you. When I'm through with you she will be repulsed at the sight. It's not like she will be able to remember you, after all I've taken away every last piece of bloody evidence that you two know each other.
You are a stranger to her.
She doesn't love you.
She never will.
Once you learn to accept that reality, you will be able to do your job more easily."
I struggle against his restraints, but I'm becoming more weak by the second.
He digs his nails into my scalp, making blood drip down my forehead.
"It's time for you to accept your demon. You will be my most powerful minion of all. There will be trace of an angel left. You will succumb to the dark side. Erase all memories of your past life. You are now my property."
His eyes grow darker, as he takes his hand and opens my mouth wide. As much as I try to refuse, the torture is too strong for me. He opens his mouth and lets the deadly thing wander into my body.
The demon makes its way into my body, making a deep hole in my chest. My light begins fading away as the darkness begins to take over.
Anger is the only emotion coursing through my body, no longer feeling the pain and weakness the torture caused.
My angel fights the demon for dominance, when ultimately the demon wins.
But what Vyrix doesn't expect to happen, is for my two sides to blend together as one, making me a true Nephilim.
Maybe, just maybe there is hope after all.
Punch.
I'm stronger than this.
Punch.
I can defeat him.
The chain the bag is attached to begins to rattle.
I will get my revenge if it's the last thing I do.
Punch.
She will NOT be his!
Punch.
I won't fail her!
I keep pounding harder and harder on the bag until it breaks from the chain and falls to the ground.
My breathing becomes erratic, and I put my hands on my knees to slow my breath.
When I calm down, I grab a towel off the rack and rub my face.
Training in our gym is the only way I can find peace. The constant need to fight becomes too much at times, and this is the best way to contain my anger.
Drained after my workout, I leave the gym and head towards the kitchen.
When I make it to kitchen, I grab some water from the fridge and notice Ashley staring at me with her mouth hanging wide open.
I turn around, cross my arms over my naked chest and raise an eyebrow.
Ryan looks from me to her and pinches her side.
"Ow! Ryan what the hell?" Ashley gives him a hard, cold glare.
"Well, maybe you can stop staring at your best friend's man like you want to eat him?"
"But I...I wasn't star..."
"Yes you were Ash, no denying it there." He winks at her before getting up and putting his bowl in the sink.
My parents decided it was best for Ashley and Ryan to stay with us for a few days to help Hartley adjust. I wasn't too keen on the idea. In all honesty, I can't stand either of them. I want them out as soon as possible.
I chug the rest of my water, throw the bottle in the trash and head upstairs to take a shower.
When I get to the top of the stairs and towards my room, I hear whimpering coming from her room. I walk towards it and put my hand on the doorknob, when Vyrix's warning comes
into my mind.
You will hand her over to me.
Deciding against it I back away from the door.
No.
I will keep my distance from now on.
I will not be weak.
I will be strong.
She won't understand now, but in the end she will.
She will understand why I can't love her.
It's better for the both of us that the nephilim breaks his bond with the chosen one.
Chapter Twenty
Hartley
Today is the day.
The day I will come into my full powers.
The day I can read the letter my parents left for me.
The day I will return to school after everything that has happened.
Today is my birthday.
Am I excited?
No.
Who would be excited to spend their special day with a bunch of strangers?
Sure, I'm more comfortable around Trace and his family now, but at the same time I'm still cautious around them.
So far, today is not starting off good. I had woken up from a nightmare and unfortunately this one shook me up.
A chill runs down my spine as I remember the weird, unsettling dream.
It had taken place several days after my aunts funeral. We had just arrived back at school, and Trace was being very distant from me. He didn't touch me, didn't talk to me or even look at me. He was back to his cold demeanor of when we first met.
I had tried talking to him but he just blew me off. Later on in the day, we had gone to the lunch room and what I saw had stopped me cold in my tracks.
Trace had a brunette sitting on his lap, and he was making out with her in the middle of the lunch room.
My already fragile heart had broken into a million pieces. I had run out of the room so fast it made my head spin. When I had gotten outside I ran into the one thing I have been trying to avoid since the death of my parents.
The dark hooded figure with the glowing red eyes was staring back at me with a smirk on his face. He found me, and I just walked right into his trap. I knew at that very moment that I was gone.
When I had awoken from my nightmare, the tears were flowing freely down my face. Now that I think back to that nightmare, I can't help but feel that my birthday is not going to end well. That today is going to determine how the rest of my life will play out.
I sigh and pull out the drawer to my nightstand and grab the letter that will hold all of the answers I've been desperately trying to find.
I take a deep breath and open the envelope. With shaky hands, I reach in and grab the thin slip of paper.
Hartley,
If you are reading this, it means that your father and I are no longer with you. I am so sorry sweetheart that we could not be there to watch you grow up.
You already know that your father and I are not your real parents, but that doesn't mean that we haven't taken care of you and loved you as if you were our own.
I'm assuming your aunt has become your legal guardian and has taken you back to our hometown. Moving to a new place is very, very dangerous for you Hartley.
You are extremely powerful, and if you reveal yourself to just anyone, you and your loved ones will end up paying the price.
Please listen to me when I say you need to stay guarded. Don't trust just anyone.
That being said there is one family that you should trust without a doubt. This family has done everything they could to keep you safe.
It was written in the prophecy that you would be bound to one of their sons. We never really knew which son that would be, but we always hoped it would be Trace. He has always cared for you, and always protected you. If you ever feel like you can't trust anyone, if you’re lost and confused, trust the Evans family. The love you, and without a doubt in my mind, they will do everything in their power to find and protect you.
You have grown into a beautiful young woman, and your father and I couldn't be prouder to have raised such a sweet girl.
You will face many trials ahead of you, but in the end you will come out being victorious.
We love you and we believe in you. Never give up.
Never let him win.
Sincerely,
Mom and Dad.
So everything they said was true.
The Evans were destined to find me, and I was destined to be bound to Trace.
A few tears fall out of the corner of my eye and drip onto the paper.
A swift breeze flows through my room, and I know my parents are standing there in front of me. I look up through glossy eyes and see my dad holding my mom in his arms while she sobs into his shirt.
A stab of pain flows into my heart at seeing the one thing I wish I could have back in my life.
"Don't cry for us baby doll. It's time for us to crossover into the light. Even though you can't physically see us anymore, we will still be watching over you. We love you so much. Don't ever forget that!" My father tells me before they start vanishing before me.
"No! Please don't leave me!"
I lean forward and try to stop them, but my hands run through thin air.
They're gone.
I fall to my knees, and curl into a ball on the ground.
I have no family left.
I am completely, and utterly alone.
--------------
Awhile later I hear a small knock on the door as it opens.
"Happy Birthday!" My best friends cheerful voice is not enough to get me out of this painful slumber.
"Hart? Oh my God! What's wrong?" She comes over to me and kneels down beside me.
She wraps her arms around me while I continue to break down, not strong enough to keep myself from the pain.
"Are you going to be okay enough to go to school?" She asks in a concerned voice.
I nod my head and wipe the tears from my eyes.
"I'm okay. I just need to get dressed."
"Okay, well come down as soon as you're ready, and I will try to help you forget whatever just happened." She releases her grip, gets up and walks out of the room.
I get up very slowly, walk over to my dresser, grab my clothes and get dressed.
Not in the mood to care about how I look, I put my hair in a bun, grab my bag and head downstairs.
I feel like a robot.
I'm completely numb.
I make my way towards the kitchen, when I suddenly hear whispering. I creep further into the room and see Ashley and Ryan sitting at the kitchen table with Cole.
"I found her curled up on the floor in the fetal position bawling her eyes out. I'm not sure this is the best time for her to go back." Ashley shakes her head and takes a bite out of her cereal.
"Actually, I think this is the best time for her to go back. She needs a distraction, and she needs to get out of the house." Cole says in a firm tone.
Shaking my head, I quietly walk into the kitchen. Ryan sees me immediately and walks over to me, wrapping me up in a hug.
"Happy Birthday Hart, I'm here for you if you need me."
I nod into his shirt and back away, raising my hand and removing a tear from my eye.
Cole gets up from the table and looks at me. "You ready to go?"
I nod and look around the room. "Where's Trace?"
Cole raises his arm to the back of his neck. "He already left for school. Had to take care of something."
I furrow my eyebrows, as dread settles in the pit of my stomach.
Shaking my head, I ignore them and make my way to the front yard.
I can already tell something very bad is about to happen, but I just can't put my finger on it.
When I make it outside, I head for Cole's vehicle and swiftly put myself in the backseat so I can ignore everything that is going on around me.
The others pile in as well and we make our way to the school.
Every mile we get closer to the school, the more my heart beats faster and faster.
When we finally get to school, Cole par
ks in a spot right next to Trace's bike. I can't help but worry that he is doing something he shouldn't be doing.
The need to find him is growing more heavily in my chest, I grab my bag and rush out of the car and into the school.
I hear the others calling me, but my main focus is finding the man I'm supposed to be with. I need his comfort, I need him in my arms.
When I make it into the school, I see the one thing I was hoping I never would.
A girl is pined up to the lockers, with Trace's body locked firmly on hers. He's kissing her with a heated passion that he only used to kiss me with.
My breathing slows, tears fall out of my eyes, and my heart shatters into a million pieces.
This is what I get for trusting him.
This is what I deserve for being the chosen one.
"Dammit! Hartley, I'm sure it's not what it looks like."
I can't comprehend who is talking to me, all I can see is the couple in front of me making out like they are in love.
Love.
So this is what love feels like?
To have your heart broken into a million pieces?
I give them one last glance and turn around and run out of the school.
Anger, depression, and sadness seep into my body.
How could I have been so stupid?
Why did I let him in?
I keep running and running until I hit something hard and fall back a few steps.
A shiver of fear runs down my spine when I look into the eyes of the dark hooded figure who killed my parents.
Suddenly, I am grabbed from behind and a small cloth covers my face pulling me into a swift sleep, forever consuming me into the darkness that awaits.
Chapter Twenty-One
Hartley
Numb.
Broken.
Torn.
Torn to do what's right, torn to do what's wrong.
Pain.
The pain of losing everyone I've ever loved.
Trace.
My parents.
My aunt.
I can't fight the darkness anymore.
Vyrix has destroyed me inside and out.
I'm not who I once was.
There is no light left.
When I saw Trace kissing that girl, it broke me. I wish I could've been stronger. I wish I could've been brave. But unfortunately, I'm a coward.
I just want it to stop.
The struggle.
Breaking The Darkness (The Light and Dark Trilogy Book 1) Page 8