The Dark Prince (The Dark Light Series)

by S. L. Jennings

  Dorian takes a tiny step forward, close enough for the heat of his body of mingle with mine. I look up at him with hopeful eyes, my hand still cupping his face. A tiny, sad smile plays at his lips before he presses them to my forehead. I instantly melt into his touch and my entire body hums with appreciation. But before I can respond, he’s gone. And I am left standing there, my hand extended into plumes of grey, cradling the space where he was just seconds ago.

  The song starts again, bringing me back to the here and now. Unable to make sense of what just happened, I walk over to the chaise lounge and try to piece it all together. Now that every sense is not clouded with all things Dorian, I let my mind focus on the emotion-filled words pouring from my sound system. My eyes quickly fill with stubborn tears and spill down my face as Bruno Mars belts his heartfelt plea to the moon. I realize why he chose this particular song for me and it could not be any more perfect. For countless nights, I watched Dorian stand at the window, looking out into the darkness contently. Sometimes he’d be completely silent and unmovable for so long, I would be bursting with curiosity at what the pitch-black sky could reveal. And he’s telling me right now. He’s telling me that he hasn’t given up. He’s still waiting for me.

  I don’t know how many times the song replayed or how many hours I stood at my bay window, gazing out into the night contently because I knew Dorian was doing the same. But as I crawl into bed, my body stiff with standing in the same position for so long, I realize it is the first night in four days that I didn’t need to drink myself to sleep. I no longer need the numbness that is found at the bottom of a bottle. Because now, I have hope.

  Chapter Nineteen

  “Bitch, I don’t give a damn what you say. You. Are. Going!” Morgan roars into the phone.

  “Come on! I really am tired. It’s been crazy busy at the store today. Besides, I don’t have a costume,” I plead into the receiver.

  “Nope, not gonna work. I already have a costume for you. And don’t give me that tired crap. All you do is freakin’ sleep and, dammit, I want my friend back!”

  “Morgan, seriously. I really need to start packing my stuff up and figure out where the hell I’m going to live. I don’t have time for frat Halloween parties.” I slump into my swivel chair and let my forehead hit the desk. Just the thought of leaving the lavish apartment at Paralia depresses me. Nothing I’ve found is even half as nice. But I can’t see a reason to stay, considering that Dorian owns it.

  “Gabs, I told you that Dorian doesn’t want you to move out. He said so himself. Just call him. I don’t want to lose my roommate and I damn sure don’t want to move. There’s no way we will find anything better.”

  I sigh, knowing deep down that Morgan is right. But ever since Dorian showed up in my room and played that song for me, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about him. I’d wait up for hours every night, praying he’d reappear. But after weeks of failed optimism without his return, that spurt of hope quickly vanished leaving me empty once again. I was back to my miserable existence: sleeping, working, eating, drinking.

  “Look, you know it isn’t right for me to stay there. He’s getting married, Morgan. And I’m his ex-girlfriend. Technically, I’m not even his employee. I have no right to stay.”

  An exasperated grunt resounds from the phone. “You know good and well Dorian wants you to stay. Shit, you two need to talk this out yourselves and stop playing games. Between him asking me about you on the sly and you moping around like the walking dead, I have had just about enough! Now, listen, trick. You’re going to this party. And you will have a good time. Do you hear me, Gabriella Winters? I need you to snap out of it!”

  I make a pained noise, knowing I won’t be able to get out of this one. I had been able to dodge social gatherings and weekend club-hopping for the past month with my usual ‘I’m tired and depressed’ excuse, but I’ve pretty much run that one into the ground. And I’ve been a terrible friend to Morgan, leaving her to slay the boy toys of Colorado Springs all by herself. Not to mention, I haven’t seen nor heard from Jared since that day in my room.

  “Fine! Fine! Fine! You want me to go? I’ll go, dammit! But I must warn you: I will get drunk. And if anyone- man, woman or child- comes at me crazy, I won’t hesitate to slap a bitch.” I slam my palm on the desk to drive my point home, even though I am alone.

  “Yay!” Morgan squeals. “And I promise there will be no drama! Just good ol’ fashioned fun!”

  “Yeah right,” I snort. “So what am I wearing for our night of douchery and debauchery?”

  “I figured I’d be an angel and you could be a devil. Fitting, right?”

  I shake my head to myself. “You have no idea.”

  The Kappa Sigma house at UCCS looks as if Party City’s Halloween aisle threw up on it then sprinkled in some skanks for good measure. Of course, just about every chick here has used the holiday as an excuse to wear lingerie outdoors, adding a pair of bunny ears, a wig or fairy wings to justify it as a costume. Morgan and I are no better, wearing itty bitty tube dresses, hers in white and mine in red, of course. I wanted to wear jeans but could not bear another Morgan whine-fest.

  I head straight to the keg situated on the back patio and help myself to a plastic cup full of watered-down beer while Morgan goes to greet some friends of hers. As I’m chugging away on my second cup, I spot Jared weaving through the crowd of festive party goers.

  “Hey Gabs!” he calls out to me. He then stops to chat and talk to a group of frat guys before strolling up to me with a wide grin.

  “Damn, girl! You look hot!” he shouts over the music, eyeing the red sequined minidress and heels, complete with glittery red horns. It’s obvious that Jared’s had too many, considering his lustful gaze.

  I shrug. “It’s Morgan’s. She made me wear it. And what are you supposed to be?” I ask with a raised brow.

  Jared turns around to reveal a red cape. “Superman?”

  “Nice,” I remark with a smirk. “So what’s been up? Been a while since…”

  “Since we got kicked to the curb simultaneously?” he snickers. “Yeah, it has.” Jared’s words sting and I know he’s just trying to make light of a bad situation. Still, I’m not ready to start making jokes just yet.

  “You ok?” I ask, hoping he’d drop the act and be real with me.

  Jared shrugs then looks away at nothing in particular. “Of course, Gabs. Why wouldn’t I be? Aurora’s not the last chick on Earth. You live and you learn.”

  “Yeah, but you loved her. You just don’t heal from that type of heartache overnight.” Why am I even explaining this to him? Why is he trying to act like it doesn’t even matter? That he wasn’t hurt like I was? Like I still am?

  “Actually, you do. You get over it and move on. It’s not that hard. Maybe you should try it,” Jared replies with a hint of disdain.

  I look at my old friend as if he’s sprouted two heads. What the hell happened to him? “Move on?”

  “Yeah, Gabs, move the hell on. They don’t want us; maybe they never did. Maybe we were just convenient little play things. Either way, they got over us so why not get over them?”

  I look down at my red plastic cup of lukewarm beer, hoping to find the answer somewhere in the foamy brew. “It’s just not that easy.”

  “It is, Gabs. It really is. You are just still too hung up on that asshole to even try. I mean, look at you. Yeah, on the outside, you look good. But you’ve got this scowl on your face and this rigid, withdrawn stance,” he says, waving the length of my body. “No one is gonna want to talk to the girl that’s got ‘Baggage’ stamped on her forehead.”

  My jaw drops and my eyes narrow in pained shock. But before I can lay into him, a blonde Playboy bunny stumbles up to us and pulls Jared’s arm.

  “Come on, Jay! You owe me a dance, baby!” she whines in an annoyingly shrill baby voice. Gag. Jared turns to her and tells her he’ll be right there before turning his attention back to me.

  “Wow, well, don’t let me keep you
, Jay. Looks like the frat boy lifestyle has rubbed off on you.” I shake my head, hoping to reject the sting of his words and my irritation. It doesn’t help and I find myself scowling at his handsome, albeit arrogant, face. “When did you become such an insensitive dick?”

  Jared smirks at me mockingly, and I have to squelch the urge to slap him. “Geez, I don’t know, Gabs. Probably around the same time you decided to hook up with a rich, pretty boy prick over the guy that’s been there for you since the 9th grade.” Then he reaches over to flick the pearl and diamond pendant fixed around my neck and snorts before casually turning his back to me and rejoining his group of soccer jocks and half-dressed slores.

  “There you are!” Morgan calls walking up to me. She follows my line of vision and spies Jared’s retreating back. “So you saw Jared?”

  I nod then bring my cup to my lips, downing it all. “Yup. And now I need to see the bottom of a bottle of tequila.”

  We make our way inside to the beer can littered kitchen where the hard booze awaits. Normally it would be reserved for the brothers of the fraternity, but since we are girls, and Morgan has made friends with most of them, they welcome us with shots. I take the first two with ease and by the third I am bobbing my head to the music, laughing as one of the guys tries to woo Morgan with corny pick-up lines. I turn away in search of more when a frigid sensation rips through me, causing me to shiver.

  “Sure you can handle another, baby girl?” a velvety voice coos in my ear. I whip around only to be momentarily stupefied by the sight of ice blue eyes beneath long, dark lashes.

  “What are you doing here?” I sputter, nearly dropping my glass.

  “I came to see you. And I am so glad I did,” Niko replies undressing me with his magnificent eyes. “A devil, huh?”

  “Yeah,” I reply rolling my eyes. I take in his grey tailored suit and tie, and while he stands out like a sore thumb in a place like this, he looks ridiculously sexy. “And what are you supposed to be? A pretentious tool?” I down my shot and chuckle to myself.

  Niko smiles and I force myself to look away. “No, not exactly.” He pulls out something from behind him and slaps it into his hand. A riding crop? “I am dressed as a certain billionaire playboy with a fetish for pain. And something tells me that you’re into that sorta thing,” he winks.

  My head snaps back to him, my eyes wide with a mix of horror and embarrassment. However, Niko stows his intense gaze and breaks into hysterics, slapping the riding crop against the counter and successfully drawing quite a few questioning stares. I have no other choice but to join him in his fit of laughter. He looks ridiculous- in a hot and sexy kinda way.

  “Heeeyyy, Gabs,” Morgan slurs, sidling up to us. “Who’s your friend?” She smiles sweetly at Niko, a hand on the curve of her hip.

  Crap. How do I explain this one? “Oh, uh, this is…”

  “Niko,” he smiles, saving my ass and dazzling Morgan.

  “Hi, Niko, I’m Morgan,” she gushes. Sheesh, get a grip, girl.

  “Nice to meet you, Morgan. Wow, Gabs didn’t tell me she had such gorgeous friends. But I would expect no less.” He smiles again and I swear Morgan’s panties melt right down her legs. Luckily, Miguel enters just as Morgan leans into Niko, successfully grabbing her attention. Thank God. I really didn’t want to bear witness to the famous Skotos mind-fuckery.

  “Ok, I’ll ask you again. What are you doing here?” I whisper once Morgan walks away.

  “I’m here for you,” he says simply.

  “What? Are you following me?”

  “Honestly? Yes. Dorian asked me to. Plus it is Halloween. Supernatural energy is at its highest and this would be the perfect time for someone or something to strike. I need to make sure you’re safe.”

  I nod, understanding exactly what he means, and am a bit thankful for his presence. I grab another shot glass and fill it along with my own. “Well, no one likes to drink alone,” I say handing him the shot of tequila. “To not getting killed!” I hold up my own glass and clink it with his before downing it.

  Niko smirks then gulps down the liquor. “See, Gabs, I told you we’d be friends.”

  “Yeah, yeah, you’re still a dumbass. A stalking dumbass, at that.”

  After a couple more shots, Niko pulls me onto the dance floor. I am too tipsy to even resist him, plus he smells oh so damn good as he pulls me into his strong arms. It feels good to be held after so many lonely weeks without contact from anyone. Just being in his presence soothes my dejected soul.

  “He misses you,” Niko whispers in my ear as we sway to a slow song. His cool breath tickles my neck, sending a shiver to every erogenous zone.

  “I miss him too,” I find myself admitting.

  Niko assesses my blank expression. “Then why are you here? Why aren’t you with him?”

  “He’s the one getting married,” I frown. “And I haven’t seen nor heard from him in damn near a month! He doesn’t want me.”

  “How could he not? How could anyone not want you?” he whispers, fire burning in his ocean blue eyes. The intensity in them causes me to halt all movement, completely captivated by the pure desire they emanate. His gaze slips down to my lips, and I am only too aware where this is headed. But when Niko leans in, his lips just inches from mine, he stops. It’s as if some unseen force is compelling him not to go any further. The frustrated furrow of his brow tells me that whatever is keeping him from advancing is unwelcome. The pause gives my intoxicated brain just enough time to wake up and I pull away from him.

  “Shit, uh, I, uh, gotta go to the bathroom,” I stammer, nearly sprinting and leaving him on the dance floor.

  Luckily, the bathroom isn’t crowded and a second stall has been installed. I lock myself in one and try to get myself together. What the hell was that? Was I really about to kiss Dorian’s little brother? What is wrong with me? I take a few deep breaths then head to the sink to splash some water on my face, hoping it will sober me up. As I am reaching for a paper towel, my hand collides with another, causing a jolting current to crawl from my fingertips and up my arm.

  “Oh shit! Sorry!” I say pulling my hand back and rubbing it with my other. I smile apologetically at the blond staring back at me with wide, horrified eyes. Then I see it. Her brown eyes momentarily flash bright gold, shining like luminous stars. Familiarity sets in and I realize that I know who she is. And what she is.

  “You!” she whispers, taking a step back.

  “You!” I repeat, taking a step towards her. “From the sports bar. You are-”

  “Don’t!” she commands, cutting me off. “Don’t you dare say it. Stay away.”

  “Why?” I ask, standing straight up, feeling a bit offended.

  “I cannot consort with you. It is forbidden!”

  Just then a group of giggling girls stumble in, startling us both. The blonde peers around me and scowls. “Leave us!” she commands in an ominous tone. The group quickly complies without question.

  The girl, who I now see as startling beautiful, something I didn’t notice before, looks back to me. “I cannot speak to you, Dark Light. Especially now that you have chosen to associate yourself with them.”

  “That’s because they are the only ones who will talk to me! And I am not with them. Please, I just have so many questions. I just want to talk.”

  She shakes her head, and I notice that she grows lovelier by the second, as if she was purposely masking her beauty. Yet, slowly but surely, I can see her. Even the brown façade of her eyes falls away, revealing remarkably golden irises.

  “I cannot. It is forbidden for us. You will get us both killed if you do not forget about me.” She holds her hands up as if the thought of contact repulses her.

  “Fine! Turn your back on me then. But isn’t the Light supposed to help and heal? And what if I choose wrong? What if you could be the deciding factor in which side I was destined to align to?”

  The Sorceress sighs with exasperation, shaking her head. “Fine. Tomorrow. There is a coffee shop i
n the strip mall on the corner of Union and Academy. Meet me at noon. I’ll give you ten minutes then you will forget you ever saw me.”

  I nod enthusiastically, gripping her shoulders before I can stop myself. “Oh, thank you, thank you! I won’t tell anyone I saw you. I promise.”

  Her eyes widen with disgust at my touch and she pushes away from me. “Control yourself, child. It would do you good to refrain from touching people. Do you want to live?”

  I open my mouth to apologize when a shrill scream rings out behind the door, followed by more screams and what sounds like a stampede. We both rush to the door, knowing that something terrible has happened. When I swing it open, I nearly collide with Niko. His eyes widen as he gazes over my shoulder, a low growl rumbling his chest. I look back at the Light Enchantress, her expression matching his. The air around us shifts, an iridescent current indicating their pulsing energies. The confined space around us buzzes with electricity. Oh no. Shit is about to get real.

  The woman bears her gleaming white teeth, her gaze locked on Niko. “Get her out of here. Now,” she seethes. Then she takes a step back into the bathroom and evaporates before our eyes.

  “Come on,” Niko says, grabbing my arm. I stumble through the hysteria, tripping over my heels. Seeing my struggle, Niko tucks me under his arm, holding me close to his torso.

  “What’s going on?” I ask into his ear.

  He turns his face to me, yet his eyes dart everywhere, looking for a safe exit. “Another girl. Upstairs.”

  “Another girl was killed?! Morgan!” I shriek.

  “Not her, but I have to get you out of here now.” He forcefully thrusts through the crowd, shielding me from all contact.

  “I can’t leave without her.” I try steeling myself but he still pulls me along like a ragdoll. “Niko! I am not leaving my friend!”

  “Shit!” he grumbles. His mouth begins to mutter something in what I notice as the language of the Dark. He is saying, ‘Find her humans and ensure their safety.’ Yet it is hardly loud enough for even me to make out.