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

by Shania Tyler

  Mason turned to her and said, “Thank you.”

  Vivi gave a small bow and went back down the mountain.

  Kelly stood still, staring at Mason, but refused to speak. She didn’t know what to say to him. She’d said everything she’d had to say two weeks ago. He’d deserted her. She was glad his army had won, but the freedom for the elves was her sole purpose for coming.

  When she could no longer meet his eyes, she turned away.

  “Wait,” he called.

  Kelly didn’t listen. “Congratulations. You won the war.”

  “Thanks to you,” he said, following her.

  “You could have done it on your own.”

  “No.” He grabbed her hand and spun her around. “I couldn’t have done any of this without you. I’m sorry, Kelly.”

  “I hear you,” she said.

  “You . . . hear me?”

  “Well, I don’t actually forgive you at the moment, so hearing is all I can offer you.”

  Mason slowly grinned, and Kelly hated her heart for jumping at the sight of it.

  “Even angry with me, you refuse to lie.”

  “I never lied to you,” she whispered.

  His smile faded. Then he shook his head. “I used you and my shame in what I’d done to you forced me to drive you away. I didn’t deserve you, Kelly.”

  “You still don’t.” She turned to turn away, but he grabbed her other hand, now holding them both in his.

  “But, I’m selfish enough to want you anyway.”

  Kelly frowned. “So, now you want me? What about two weeks ago?”

  “I wanted you then, Kelly,” he pleaded. “But . . .” He shook his head. “Cecina was of a higher rank than me, and I never lived up to her expectations.”

  “So, what?” she asked. “I’m a goddess, so I’ll eventually get bored of you?”

  He shrugged, but his next words were laced with vulnerability. “Or I’d disappoint you to the point that you’d turn away from me.”

  “So, you turned away first.”

  He tightened his hold on her hands. “Kelly, please forgive me. Please, I need you.”

  “Well, I will always be available when you need help.”

  “No, Kelly.” He shook his head. “I need you as my wife. The two weeks without you were the worst days of my life. I don’t want to exist without you, Kelly. I’ve waited my entire life to find you, and I can’t lose you again.”

  Kelly shook her head.

  Mason dropped her hands, stepped close, and cupped her cheeks. “Pava,” he whispered.

  Kelly frowned. “Don’t, Mason.”

  His lips touched her skin and her entire body felt the caress.

  She placed her hand on his chest. “You’re cheating.”

  “I told you I’m selfish.”

  Kelly bit her lip. “That’s so awful, Mason.”

  “Gods, Kelly. It’s all I know. It’s what has been engraved in me from the beginning. I am darkness, more so than the other bloodlines. I didn’t know true kindness and honesty until you came along,” he said, pulling away from her. “So, stay and teach me to be more like you.”

  Kelly stared into his eyes. “I don’t know, Mason.”

  He dropped her face and said, “Well, then, I take back the trade. Take me back to Talon. I’ll ask Seocan to take my ability back in exchange for you.”

  She frowned, not believing him. “Your entire life has been about getting this ability.”

  “But it’s not going to keep me warm at night,” he said, touching her cheek again. “It won’t smile at me, or make me laugh, or tell me when I’ve made a mistake. It won’t tell me it loves me and listen as I say I love it back.”

  Kelly stilled. “You love me?”

  “Yes,” he whispered. “I love you, Kelly, and I’m ready to prove it. Someone else can be the Lord of Shadows. I’ll just be Mason, Kelly’s pavo. It’s the only position I want now.”

  She smiled. “That was the right thing to say.”

  He kissed her, and Kelly felt like she’d come home. She felt more powerful than before, somehow stronger, and she groaned and felt their energies mingle. She pulled away before she begged him to take her right there on the rocks.

  * * *

  Isabel walked into the council room and was surprised to see that everyone was there. She’d only been called by Malcolm to have a private meeting. She hadn’t expected the rest. “What’s going on?”

  Barna looked the most angered. “You’ve overstepped for the last time, Isabel. Attacking my nephew?”

  “He turned out to be the traitor anyway!” she spat and moved toward her chair, but Keller blocked her.

  “And he almost destroyed our army. We got word from Barna’s elves a moment ago. We lost the war.”

  Isabel frowned.

  Malcolm added. “And Mason is the Lord of Shadows.”

  She turned and frowned at him. “Impossible. Seocan’s temple is still rubble.”

  “Well, he managed it nonetheless. You’ve done nothing but put us in jeopardy over and over again.”

  “Why is this my fault?” she asked Malcolm. “You’re the one who thought it was smart to kill his wife!”

  “That was your idea,” Malcolm said, rounding the table. “And I regret being involved every day!”

  “Enough!” Barna shouted. Then she turned to Isabel and said, “You’re done here. You’ll resign from your post and a new vampire from your line will take your place.”

  “No!” Isabel shouted. “You can’t take me out!”

  “We took a vote,” Barna said. “Take your things from your office when you leave. You will not be allowed back into the building.”

  Isabel could barely feel her body as she turned around and left the room. She was in a daze the entire walk from the building, but jumped when her arm was grabbed. Ashur was leading her down a dark alley. “How are you back so quickly?”

  “I still have the last key, remember?” He threw her against the wall and said, “Mason is the Lord of Shadows. How is this possible?”

  Isabel shrugged. “I don’t know.” And she didn’t care. She had her own issues. She was out of a job. Her breathing was cut off when Ashur grabbed her neck.

  “You’re going to get the council to rebuild Seocan’s temple or I will kill you myself.”

  Isabel’s frowned, because she no longer had the power to make that happen . . . but maybe she could get it. She then grinned, jumped, and wrapped her legs around Ashur.

  The man’s eyes darkened and he moved in closer to Isabel and loosened his hold on her throat just enough to let a small amount of air in. Then he kissed her. Hard.

  Ashur’s hands slid between her legs. “I thought we didn’t do this anymore.”

  Isabel’s breath quickened and she rotated her hips, knowing it would drive him mad. “I was wrong.”

  Ashur crushed his mouth to hers and was inside her body within moments.

  Isabel fingers dug into his shoulder, and Ashur’s free hand slipped underneath her thigh.

  They mated wildly and frantically, fueled by anger and dark desire.

  Isabel felt her blood heat right before she came.

  Ashur followed and then rested his head on her shoulder. A few breaths later, he said, “Don’t ever dismiss me again.”

  “I won’t,” she swore as he ran his fingers through his hair.

  He lifted his head and said, “I’m not Cassuss. You’re not going to play me.”

  She shook her head and then kissed him again.

  Ashur returned her to her feet and backed away.

  Isabel said, “Give me a few days to see what I can do.”

  Ashur raised an eyebrow. “I want word that construction will begin in one week or I’m coming for your blood.”

  “Then I’ll need a favor.”

  “Name it.”

  “Kill Barna. She’s in my way.”

  “Done.”

  Isabel nodded and Ashur left.

  She walked back towar
d the council building and was lucky enough to see Malcolm, alone, coming from the building. “Malcolm,” she called.

  Malcolm paused. “What do you want?”

  “Give me my position back, and I’ll have Seocan’s temple rebuilt.”

  Malcolm frowned. “You’ve poisoned everyone else’s mind already. It will never work.”

  “If I can convince them to not build it, I can convince them to build it. Trust me.” Then she added. “With you and me, we’ve already got two votes.”

  “Barna will never go for it.”

  “Barna will no longer be an issue.”

  Malcolm already pale face paled further. “You’re a monster.”

  “Yes, I’m a monster sleeping with the leader of the army. So, choose your friends wisely.”

  Malcolm stared at her and nodded. “Very well. I’ll get Yon to agree.”

  “Excellent.”

  Malcolm left and Isabel smiled.

  * * *

  Kelly finished telling Mason about her time in Talon, assuring him she wouldn’t miss the luxury of being a goddess.

  Mason’s arms were secure around her. “I never gave you your surprise.”

  She grinned. “I’m ready.”

  Mason pointed into the sky, and Kelly gazed up as the black sheet was ripped from the sky and a billion stars were revealed.

  She gasped. “Oh, Mason, it’s beautiful.” It was the very best surprise anyone could have given her and she didn’t mind at all that she had to share it with the rest of the world. “Does this mean the sun will rise?”

  Mason wrapped his arms around her from the back. “No. It will take an elf from Seocan’s bloodline to deliver our sun or cause the moon to shine, but the shadow that the Evaness had placed in the sky is no more.”

  For a long time, they both stood under the night sky, but unable to resist, they eventually found a smooth spot on the mountain, spread their clothes out on the ground, and made love right there underneath the starry sky.

  * * *

  THANK YOU

  for reading my book and

  i hope you have enjoyed the story.

  Lord of Shadows is Book 1 in Blackness Falls Series.

  If you have enjoyed reading Lord of Shadows, I believe you will be interested in checking out the next book.

  I have enclosed a sneak preview of next book.

  Is FREE on Kindle Unlimited (around 330 pages)

  Check it out below . . .

  * * *

  ACT I

  LOST

  Map of ASEA

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

  PROLOGUE

  Theo of the House of Heron stared out into the darkness that spread like a cloak over his mountains. Morten had always been beautiful, but with the arrival of the stars two months ago… the sight was breathtaking.

  Clusters of stars made the Asea sky glow in a way it hadn’t in nearly three hundred years. They glittered like diamonds laid out on silk blanket, ready for their inspection, knowing they'd be found to be without flaw. Torches lined the hillsides and the tinkling of his men working in his stone mines made the night almost magical.

  The only thing that broke the tranquil scene was the whispers and giggling that came from his side.

  He glared in the direction of his friend Mason and his wife Kelly. The newlyweds had their arms wrapped around one another with their heads bent close. Actually, Mason’s dark head was doing all the bending as Kelly was a petite woman with wild blond curls that stopped at her shoulders. The three stood at the entrance of his home, awaiting the arrivals of Kelly’s guests, who she’d invited to visit during something they called ‘summer break’ at her collegiate school on Earth.

  He’d offered Kelly and Mason the chance to greet the guests alone, but they’d insisted that he accompany them since it was his home.

  He wished he hadn’t.

  As the Colester, or leader of the city of Morwen, he had better things to do. The Rebels, the army that Theo financed, had just fought and won a battle two months ago, but Theo would be foolish to think their enemies defeated. There was still much to do.

  And besides that, he was thirsty. He hadn’t had blood in days.

  “Stop it, Mason,” Kelly said in a happy tone that said she didn’t mean for Mason to stop anything at all. In fact, her words were more encouraging than anything. Theo knew his friend understood when his wife’s laugher filled the night.

  He loathed to admit that he hated his friend’s happiness just as much as he loved it. Mason, more than anyone, deserved happiness… but it irritated him at times like this. When, instead of finding the peace he usually did from staring down from the top of the Morwen Mountains, he had to listen to whispers that he could clearly make out, thanks to his supernatural hearing.

  A torch moved up ahead and footsteps sounded as their guests came up the long stone stairway that led toward the house. “They’re coming,” he said to the couple, who’d moved from simply holding one another to ravishing one another’s mouth.

  The one holding the torch proved to be his Fairman, or doorkeeper, Roose. He was followed by three others. He recognized the other male as Ethan, an elf who’d grown up on Earth, but now lived in Morwen and fought on the side of the Rebels.

  Under one of Ethan’s arms was a large box and walking under his other arm was a woman with long red hair that didn’t seem to know whether it wished to make waves or curls. Her dress was made of silks and chiffons that ranged from dark purples to deep oranges. Bangles and beads hung from her neck and wrist and—

  Theo was distracted when he caught sight of the other woman. No, that wasn’t right. It wasn’t the sight of her that he noticed first. It was her scent. She smelled of forbidden heavens. Then he saw her.

  The woman’s beauty was a swift hit to his gut. Theo was forced to hold on to the golden doorknob behind him to keep upright. She was simply that breathtaking. She was pale and tall and wore a black costume that left her arms exposed, with only thin straps keeping it up, while her legs were completely covered by loose pants. Her hair was as dark as the night, and she wore it in a high ponytail that made his fingers itch. He was sure by its length he could have wrapped his hand around it three or more times. Her motions were fluid, as though she knew that her presence controlled the room. He watched the way she smiled as she spotted Kelly and then the women shared a tight embrace. Theo couldn’t pull his eyes away from her mouth. Her lips were painted red, the only spot of true color on her. The color of blood.

  The ache began in his teeth. He needed to turn away, but try as he might, he didn’t wish to stop looking at her.

  But then Kelly said something to her, and she looked up at him with warm brown eyes and smiled.

  The group came over to Theo but it was the woman in black’s scent that arrived first.

  Kelly did the introductions in his native language Chabar. “Theo, these are my friends, Piper and Meg.” She motioned her hand to each so he would know who was who.

  Piper.

  She was still smiling at him, only now her hand was out toward him.

  Gods, she was tall. She was only a few inches shorter than him and with her standing so close… her scent had his teeth aching once more. His eyes settled on her nose and the spill of spots that covered the tops of her cheeks, crossing over that delicate bridge.

  “Hello,” she said as her brown eyes called his back. Her voice was another blow. Throaty and deeper than most women. Hello was one of the only words he knew in English, but he was sure that no one said it like her.

  Theo tightened his hold on the door.

  Piper’s smile began to waver. By not shaking her hand, he was being uncivil.

  Theo thought that good, because since the woman had arrived, he’d learned two things. He was more attracted to Piper than he’d ever been to a woman before… and he had to stay far, far away from her.

  He slipped inside the house, leaving his friends and their guests confused, but didn’t
stop moving until he reached the sanctuary of his office, where he would stay until his guests left.

  How long could a summer break last?

  * * *

  CHAPTER ONE

  Piper watched the guy slam the door in her face and gasped. “How rude!” She’d barely met the guy, and she already knew she didn’t like him.

  Kelly turned to Mason and said something in a language she didn’t understand, seeming to be asking Mason questions he didn’t know the answer to. Theo’s name was said.

  She took a moment to study Mason as he spoke to Kelly.

  The guy was Top Ten material. He had black hair and green eyes unlike any that Piper had ever seen before. He had a classic Prince Charming chiseled face with a fighter’s body and his clothes said bad boy in every way. He wore a black leather jacket, a black shirt, dark jeans, and boots that looked like they’d seen better days. Piper thought Kelly had done pretty well for herself in the looks department, but she planned to find out for herself if Mason made her happy.

  According to what she’d heard from Ethan, Mason and Kelly had only known one another for a few days before they’d married, but they seemed happy.

  Piper turned to Meg. “Do you know what they’re saying?”

  Meg shrugged and bopped her strawberry head from side to said in a vague answer, but was smiling brightly at the pair. “Something about Theo.” She twisted hands together in front of her, causing her bangles to jingle. She’d been a flowerchild since Piper could remember, which was the second grade.

  Ethan came over and kissed Meg on the cheek. He was another good looker, but Piper remembered a time when he was a gangly kid who was always taller than the rest of the class. In high school, he started to fill out his height, until he finally looked like the poster guy for the most prestigious fraternity on campus that he was. He wore his blond hair short, had stunning blue eyes, and wore a polo and khakis better than anyone else Piper knew.

  “Want to see the house?” He carried a large box under one arm.