Lord of Shadows (A Paranormal Romance Book): Blackness Falls

by Shania Tyler

  Kelly looked back at the scene. The man appeared initially reluctant, but the woman seemed to not care. She kissed him and with that one kiss, he became compliant.

  The scene began to fast forward again.

  “It’s over,” Kelly told everyone else.

  She heard them readjusting just as everything stopped and a small baby was pushed up from the ground. The baby cried and President Tom Smith from Morwen University picked the baby up.

  Kelly frowned and she got a feeling that she knew what was happening.

  She watched as President Smith gave the baby over to Kelly’s parents.

  And then the scene faded away and the room returned to what it was.

  “What does this mean?” she asked.

  Mason’s movement caught her eye, and she realized he was kneeling before her.

  “Mason?” She turned and noticed they all were kneeling at her, including Mossem.

  “Why are you all on your knees?”

  Mason didn’t lift his hand from hers. “You are a goddess, Kelly. The first since the beginning of our time.”

  Kelly frowned. “That’s not true. You said Asea was everyone’s mother.”

  “Yes,” Mason said, still looking toward the ground. “Asea is everyone’s mother, but you saw for yourself that only gods came from the ground. The original vampires, elves, giants, and fairies simply appeared out of thin air. You came from the ground, like the gods. You are a goddess.”

  “Get up.”

  He did immediately as though she’d commanded it. Well, she had commanded it, but not as a goddess, but as his wife and his friend.

  His hand went slack in hers, and Kelly tightened her hold on his, which prompted him to do the same.

  He was looking at her differently now, studying her as though he’d never known her. And Kelly knew then if she had to choose, she didn’t want to be a goddess. She wanted to be with Mason.

  She touched his cheek and his eyes left her. “I’m your wife, Mason,” she whispered to him. “That’s all that matters to me, okay?”

  His eyes came back up, but she didn’t see any of the usual warmth in their green depths.

  Mossem announced, “There is someone at the door.”

  They heard something break downstairs.

  “They know we are here,” Theo said.

  “How?” Noel asked.

  Mossem confessed, “Well, you’ve been put on the watch list,” he said to Theo. Then to Kelly, he said, “I’m so sorry. If I had known who you were . . .”

  Theo frowned. “We must move.”

  Mossem went to the door and, holding the knob, said, “Where do you want to go?”

  Everyone turned to look at Mason.

  Kelly stood right before him, but he didn’t meet her eyes when he gave his reply.

  “Talon Island, if you can manage it.”

  Mossem nodded. “I’m a Fairman.” Then he opened the door and revealed the home of the gods.

  * * *

  ACT THREE

  RETURNED

  CHAPTER

  TWENTY-FIVE

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  .

  Everything about Talon was different from the rest of Asea. There was light. Not from a star in the sky, instead the very ground glowed with light emitting from its depths. Trees hung low all around them and the bushes closed in tight; the ground was soft underneath Mason’s boots.

  It was dark, like the rest of Asea, but the tiny cracks in trees and leaves glowed, making the forest look at though it had been painted by a child’s hands and then left unfinished.

  Mason looked everywhere, but avoided looked at Kelly.

  Until Theo got his attention.

  “What’s she doing?” he whispered.

  Mason turned around and froze as she watched Kelly a few steps ahead of them, slipping off her sandals and throwing them to the side. She then moved to the straps of her dress and pulled them down, revealing her lean back.

  Mason stepped forward to stop her from exposing herself, but Noel’s hand wrapped around his upper arm made him pause.

  “Wait,” he told her.

  Mason frowned and then said to his companions, “Close your eyes.”

  Noel asked, “What’s the point? You’re giving her up anyway, aren’t you?” There was a certain angry tone in his voice. “That’s the plan, right?”

  Mason had no idea why he was upset, but didn’t hesitate to point out a very important fact. “She is still my wife. Close your eyes or I’ll close them for you.”

  Noel held his eyes and then slowly lowered his lids, but the anger was still set in his jaw.

  Leaving Kelly was always the plan and everyone had known it from the moment he’d left to retrieve her. But now that Mason knew she was a goddess . . . he was even more convinced of his original plan. He called her wife, but what did that mean to a goddess? He couldn’t have her. She didn’t just belong to him, but to everyone. She’d be worship and adored and would one day be glad to no longer have ties to him.

  He turned back around to find Kelly sitting in the dirt, taking big handfuls of it, and smearing the brown mud on her body. Her blond head was slightly tilted toward the side as though listening to something.

  His eyes moved over the long lines of her back, and how the glow from the trees captured the gold in her hair. She looked so at home sitting there in the dirt and seemed no longer aware of his presence . . . until she turned around.

  A handprint of mud grazed her jaw, but everything below was completely covered with earth.

  She smiled in a way that Mason had never seen. She looked at peace, childlike, and comforted.

  She held out her hand to him and he walked over to where she sat and crouched next to her.

  She reached up and removed his wig, mustache, and beard as her blue eyes softly roamed over him in wonder. “I can feel her,” she whispered. “I think I’ve always felt her, but I feel her more here.” She whispered, “She is my mother, isn’t she?”

  Mason took off his cloak and put it around her shoulders.

  Kelly buried herself in it, brought it up to her nose, and inhaled his scent. It was one of the most erotic things Mason had ever seen. Her eyes came back up to his and he helped her stand and brought his cloak around her more.

  Her mud-covered hands touched his cheek and asked in a shaky voice, “Are you afraid of me?”

  Mason placed his hand on top of hers. “No,” he insisted. “I’m not afraid of you.” But he was feeling something. He felt . . . unworthy and broken in a way that made it uncomfortable to have her. He’d used her. A goddess. He’d manipulated her and the heavy guilt ate at the little ounce of soul he had left. The little ounce of spirit that had made him believe that maybe there was another way to gain his powers without sacrificing her.

  She’d done it. She’d gained her powers without visiting a temple and Mason had started to believe, just for a moment, that they could make it work. That every lie he’d told her could be made up for. That his manipulation of her could be forgiven if he swore to never lie to her again.

  But then he’d seen the truth. She was a goddess and Mason wondered . . . how he’d fallen in love with another woman who was completely out of his reach.

  “Is she covered?” Theo asked.

  Kelly studied Mason’s eyes for a moment and pressed at his mind for entry, but he wouldn’t let her in. She then turned to Theo and said, “I am. You can look now.”

  Theo and Noel walked over to them and Mason stepped out of her touch.

  “Let’s go,” he told her and walked around her on the path through the woods.

  Kelly followed silently.

  Noel, who was walking by her side, said, “I’ve never met a goddess before.” There was a lightness in his voice.

  Kelly turned and smiled at him. “I didn’t even know they existed.”

  He nodded and then turned ahead and asked, “Do me a favor?”

  “If I can,” she whispered.r />
  “I’ve read a lot about the gods and . . . Don’t be like the rest of them,” he told her and then turned to look at her. “Don’t change. Stay Kelly.”

  She found his request odd, but nodded. “I’ll try.”

  They made it to a clearing and Kelly was enchanted by the large temple up ahead. It was white and glowed, and a tall, white fence stood around it.

  When they approached the entrance, the gate opened immediately.

  ‘Benefits of being a goddess,” Theo murmured.

  Kelly giggled and they all walked through.

  Noel then said, “It all makes sense now.”

  “What makes sense?” Kelly asked.

  “When you called out for help the other night . . .” He stared at her. “I heard you in my head. I felt you searching for aid when Ben had you.”

  Kelly frowned. “Why didn’t you say anything? I thought you meant you’d heard me screaming when I was in the youka room.”

  “No.” Noel shook his head.

  Theo cut in as well, looking nervous, and whispered, “I heard it in my head as well, but had thought I’d simply had too much wine.”

  “Why didn’t either of you say anything?” Kelly asked.

  “And face Mason’s wrath after he thought I’d done something sexual with you in order to receive this . . . connection?” Noel shook his head. “It wasn’t supposed to be possible until you were my pava and I was confused by it . . . until now.”

  Kelly shrugged. “When I was mentally searching for Mason, I must have sensed you two, but I didn’t know I’d actually gotten through. I’m sorry if I’ve upset you.”

  Theo touched her shoulder softly and said, “If you ever need my help again, do not hesitate to call me, goddess or not.”

  “What he said,” Noel chimed in.

  Kelly smiled at her new friends. Theo and Noel were being so nice to her, but Mason . . .

  He walked ahead of them and at the base of the stairs to the temple, a man started down the steps. He was dressed in a white robe, had curly, blond hair and powerful gray eyes.

  “That’s quite far enough, vampires.” He face was stern.

  They all stopped.

  The man turned to Kelly and finally smiled. “Not you, my sister. You may come. I am Jinn. It was at my temple where your powers awoke.”

  Kelly’s shook her head, confused. “But I’ve never been inside your temple before.”

  “But you have. Your friend Meg built it for her project at Morwen. The gazebo.”

  Kelly stilled, “ You were the little statue inside?”

  He nodded. “Melina sent your Meg a vision in a dream state. We’ve been watching you. Ethan did a very good job of protecting you, but we will tell you more about this when you come inside.” Jinn held out his hand.

  Kelly stepped forward.

  “Wait,” Mason called.

  Her heart raced and she turned on the step to look back at him and hope bloomed within her. He didn’t want her to go. He was going to take her back to Morwen after she got some more answers. He wanted to be with her; he was simply too nervous to say so. So what if she was a goddess? They could make it work.

  Mason didn’t even look at her. His cold eyes were directed at Jinn. “I have delivered Kelly to the gods, I expect payment.”

  She flinched back. “Payment?” she whispered.

  Jinn replied. “Yes, we’d been told that a vampire was planning to bring us a powerful elf. This must be you . . . Nevertheless, the payment is that I let you live, vampire. Your eternal night drives us all endlessly mad. You should be so lucky that we allow you to live.”

  “Should the gods be known to not pay their debts?” Mason asked.

  Jinn’s jaw tightened, but he said, “What can we do for you?”

  “I wish to enter the Temple of the Gods and receive my family gift.”

  Jinn rolled his eyes. “Very well, go and then leave. We don’t usually allow vampires in the temple . . . but you did deliver our sister. So, we will make an exception.

  Kelly stared at Mason with her lips slightly parted and her heart racing. “This was your plan?” she asked him.

  He didn’t reply as he walked forward.

  Kelly grabbed hold of his cloak more firmly and raced up to meet him. “Mason, answer me. Was it your plan to abandon me here so you could get your gift?”

  “Yes,” he said without breaking stride.

  Kelly sped up and stopped right in front of him.

  He tried to move around her.

  “Stop!”

  His eyes found hers. “Anything you want, goddess.” The sarcasm pierced her heart.

  She touched his hard cheek. “Mason, why are you doing this? I thought . . .”

  “You thought?” he asked with emotionless green eyes.

  Kelly felt her body begin to tremble. “I thought you loved me,” she whispered.

  “Did I ever say I did?” he asked in a way that demanded her reply.

  When she gave none, he tried to start around her again.

  “Wait.” Her voice shook.

  He stopped, but didn’t meet her eyes.

  She touched his arm and felt his body trembling, letting her know he wasn’t as unaffected by this moment as he trying to make it seem. She leaned forward, pressing her body toward his and heard him take an unsteady breath.

  She wrapped her fingers around his neck. “Mason, I love you,” she whispered.

  He still didn’t look at her. “Please, stop,” he whispered.

  “You told me once that you would choose me. Pava or not, you would choose me again.”

  “Kelly,” he warned.

  “Choose me now,” she whispered. “Choose me, I love you. We can win this war together. We can fight together. Let us try.”

  He finally met her eyes and said, “This may be my only chance to ever receive my gift and we need it. The Rebels need me.”

  Kelly frowned. “But I can help.”

  “Help heal the wounded?” he asked swiftly. “We need fighters to win. Your power is great, but we need warriors. They need me. They are counting on me.”

  Well, maybe he was right. “Then, let me go back with you. I don’t want to be here without you.”

  His trembling stopped and eyes showed resignation. “You belong here, Kelly. You’re a goddess. I’m a vampire. It would never work.”

  “But I’m your pava,” she whispered.

  “And destiny has placed us.”

  The words crushed her. “Mason—”

  “If you don’t mind, I’ve an army to return to. The Evaness now know that Theo is a traitor. We’ve less than a month to prepare for them.” He walked past her again and then time, Kelly didn’t stop him.

  “What else did you expect from a vampire?” Jinn asked as he joined her a moment later. “They are a selfish breed. I don’t know why Asea invited them, but we don’t question Mother.” He wrapped an arm around her. “Come. You don’t need to worry about him any longer. You’re a goddess. You can have the best of anything you desire.” He smiled encouragingly.

  But Kelly’s heart was too broken to believe she’d ever be happy again.

  * * *

  26

  CHAPTER

  TWENTY-SIX

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  * * *

  She was lost when it came to destiny,

  but she knew she wanted to do this.

  * * *

  .

  “Go away,” Mason called to whoever was knocking on his office door.

  The door opened anyway.

  “Thought I’d let you know I’ve returned again.” It was Ethan. The man just didn’t know when to go away . . . but his efforts had helped the army greatly, so Mason tolerated him.

  Ethan continued to speak when Mason said nothing. “I was surprised at how quick it was to find a guy in America willing to take all those diamonds off my hands in exchange for a butt load of cash. I’d have thought he’d have reported me to the pol
ice at least. But, he didn’t, so the food supply is here. We’re building landfills for all the food the Evaness supplies. Theo thinks it’s a good idea to not stop the shipments from Pria, or they’ll know we’re onto them.”

  “Good idea,” Mason murmured, only half listening.

  “Yeah. They got this store in America called Sam’s Club. It’s got everything! We’ve got trucks of fish, bread, cheese—”

  “I know of your Sam’s Club. I have been to Earth plenty of times.”

  Ethan dropped something on his desk. “Well, we’ve got some extra cash for the next run. Though, don’t try getting on any international flights with this briefcase. They’ll think we’re selling drugs or something.”

  “Noted.” Though he had no desire to ever go to Earth again. It would only remind him of Kelly . . . Walking around Theo’s house in Morwen reminded him of Kelly. Just breathing—

  “Uh, you ever thought about . . . I don’t know, lighting a lamp in here. It’s pitch black.”

  “I’m a vampire,” Mason said from his perch by the window as he watched the men train. “I take power from the darkness.”

  “That’s the most emo things I’ve ever heard you say,” Ethan said, coming to stand next to him. “Look, turn on a light, go outside, get some fresh air—”

  Mason removed the shade he’d placed around the lanterns’ glow and immediately light flooded the room. “There, happy? Now go away.”

  “So you can mope over the woman who you dumped? Look, it’s been two weeks. Either go after her or get over it.”

  Mason slowly turned to stare at Ethan. “Do you have anything else to say to me that pertains to the war?”

  Ethan shrugged. “My training’s going well. Maurice has shown me a lot.” Then Ethan scratched his head and said, “I think . . . Maurice is more than my cousin.”

  Mason raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

  “I think we may be brothers actually.”

  Mason blinked and then turned back toward the window. “Congratulations.”