The Dark Prince (The Dark Light Series)

by S. L. Jennings

  “I could have given her everything! But she wouldn’t love me. She would rather commit treason than be with me. To be with him!”

  He’s at my side quicker than my eyes can see, crouching down, his face just inches from mine. I can see the reflection of my terror in his wide, crazed eyes. “We could have been so happy together,” he whispers, though his soothing voice doesn’t match his insanity. “And look at you…just like my dear Natalia. Drawn to the Dark treachery. Did he fool you, love? Did he make you fall for him with his mind games? Make you believe that he loves you too?”

  I’m too afraid to answer him, too frozen in overwhelming fear to even whimper a semblance of a response. If I could move, I’d be trembling violently. If I could sob, I’d be drowning in my own tears.

  “Answer me, dammit!” he screams, spewing spittle in my face. He grasps my shoulders and shakes my limp body, causing the pain to spread even more.

  “No!” I cry. “He didn’t do any of that. He really does…he does love me.”

  “Impossible,” Xavier sneers, dropping my body back onto the slab. My head throbs viciously and I’m sure the wound has opened even more. My vision goes blotchy and I feel cold. So unbearably cold. It won’t be much longer now.

  Seeing me slip away, he grasps my cheeks in his shaky hands. “No, no, dear love. I need you to stay with me.” Then he leans forward and presses his open mouth on mine. Comforting warmth spreads through me, and I feel some of the debilitating ache subside in my head. However, I still don’t have usage of my limbs.

  Xavier pulls away after only a few seconds. “That’s enough,” he says with a satisfied grin. He looks over me, lost in his thoughts and rubbing an index finger over his lips. “Maybe it was you all along. Maybe you knew consorting with the Dark would help conceal you. Would throw me off your scent. Maybe you knew I would have to deflect, and in turn, would not be able to detect you. Is that it? Is that why you want him?”

  I try to shake my head but it’s no use. “No. I didn’t know what he was. Not at first.”

  “And once you uncovered the truth? Surely you knew what kind of sheer, unrelenting evil he harbored. Didn’t you try to escape him?”

  “No,” I answer confidently. “I… I love him.”

  Xavier snorts. “And where is your prince? Where is your dead father’s best friend and brother in arms? Ah…that’s right. Marrying his own kind. You see, Gabriella. They can bed our women and create…monstrosities…with them. But they always go back to their kind. They would not dare taint their precious bloodline.”

  “My father didn’t leave my mother,” I reply, rage taking over my trepidation. “He was killed for loving her. He died for love.”

  “They. Can’t. Love!” he shrieks, increasing the rumble of the concrete slab beneath me. “They are monsters. Demons. All of them! They are the reason your world is riddled with hate and violence! The reason why your mother was slain!”

  My tears flow freely, the hot saltwater diluting the thick blood caked in my hair. I know arguing with this maniac is pointless. His rage will only intensify and he may end up killing me out of sheer anger. I need more time. I need to try to make him see why this is wrong.

  “But you can love, X,” I say in a small voice. “You can right these wrongs. You can show everyone that the Light stand for good. You don’t have to do this.”

  He reaches a hand towards me and cups my cheek. “Oh, but I do, Gabriella. I really do. You shouldn’t be allowed to exist. You don’t deserve the gifts of the Divine.” He brushes away a few trickling tears, and moves my soiled hair out of my face. “And it is just my luck that I’ve found you right before your ascension. As long as I keep you immobilized and breathing, I can kill you right as you ascend and acquire all your power. And with that, I will make everything right. I will erase the ugliness that the Dark has created. Starting with your precious prince.”

  I resist the urge to crack a weak smile and tell him that his plan is botched. That, even though I may die, he will never have my power. I am still linked to Dorian. And when I die, he will acquire the magic that has lain dormant in my human body.

  “But I thought…I thought the Light didn’t kill innocents. That they wanted to help and protect humans. I haven’t done anything to you. How are you any better than the Dark?” Even as I say the words, I am going over a thousand different escape scenarios in my head. There’s no way I am going to lay here and die.

  Xavier’s hand travels down from my cheek to my neck before resting on my chest where my heart pounds fiercely, despite my injuries. His small token of healing has ensured that.

  “You may have not done anything yet, but you are far from innocent. You have Dark blood running through your veins. You consort with the Dark freely.” His hand travels down to my hand where the tiny blue anchor sits. He grasps it gently, running his thumb over my inked flesh. “And you have been marked.”

  I open my mouth to protest but before a sound escapes, he squeezes my hand, causing me to scream out. I hear the crunch of my splintering bones breaking like glass under his grip. I feel the jagged pieces slicing through my skin, the wet sounds of tearing flesh causing the acid in my stomach to churn. I cry and shriek in agony until I am hoarse, my dry lips splitting and bleeding. He lets my hand fall with a torturous thud, as if it’s nothing. As if I’m nothing.

  Xavier wipes his bloodied hand on my clothing and backs away casually, watching me whimper and cry from the excruciating pain. I want to die in this moment. I can’t take it anymore. And from the way his demented gaze sweeps over my body, only God knows what else he has in store for me.

  Exhausted from the overwhelming pain and sobbing, I let my eyes close, praying for unconsciousness to take me again. Let him do what he wants with me. I don’t want to be awake for it.

  “Wake up!” he shouts, slapping me across the face swiftly. My mouth fills with blood and it dribbles past my split lips and down my chin. My cheek is on fire and I suspect that the skin has been broken there as well judging by the way my salty tears sting the area.

  “Fuck you!” I spit, thick bloodied saliva flying into his face. “You are worse than the Dark, you piece of shit!”

  Xavier’s eyes grow wide and frantic, as if he’s gone mad. He smiles menacingly as he brings a hand up to wipe my spit from his face. Then faster than I can see, his hand is around my neck, squeezing dangerously tight. “You stupid girl. Do you realize how easy it would be for me to snap your little precious neck? To rip off every limb like paper? Have you no regard for your life? No sense of worth?”

  I struggle to get free from his grasp but of course it is futile. “I’d rather die than let you have an ounce of my power,” I rasp through the tight strain.

  He retreats at my words, looking down at me with contempt. “Funny. That’s what Solara said as I drained every drop of her essence from her body.”

  I flick my gaze to him, a disgusting smile creeping onto his face. “What did you do to her?”

  “Isn’t it obvious? I killed her. I knew she had been in contact with the Dark Light, yet she refused to disclose your identity. She fought hard and well. Just not hard or well enough. Being a hunter has its advantages.”

  So he was a hunter. No wonder he was able to elude Dorian and Aurora. My cloudy mind drifts to all the times Xavier was right under Dorian’s nose. He probably didn’t even expect the Light to be that bold. But Dorian was an assassin as well. How could he have missed this? Was he driven to distraction to the point of oblivion? Was he just as blinded by his affections as I was?

  Too bad I’ll never get the chance to ask him.

  I focus my thoughts on my surroundings, again letting my senses take the reins. There’s only one high window from what I can see. Beyond that there’s grass and dirt. I have to be in a basement. I don’t hear any cars or foot traffic. The only thing I smell is blood and maybe…paint? The light seems dimmer. How long have I been down here?

  Noticing my roaming eyes, Xavier closes the distance between us
in one swift step, clutching my jaw in one of his large, blood-tinged hands. “Don’t even think about escaping. There’s no way you can get away. No one can save you. Just accept this death as your destiny, child.”

  “No,” I grit through my sore, smashed cheeks between his fingers. “It’s not. And you don’t have to do this, Xavier. You’re a good guy. Don’t do this.”

  He rips his hand away and doubles over into a theatrical guffaw. “What? You think by telling me I’m a good guy, I will miraculously change my mind?”

  The sound of his hearty laughter infuriates me but I resist the urge to spew insults. “But you are good, X. Me and you could’ve been good friends. What would Carlos and Jackson and Morgan do once they learn what you’ve done? You can’t tell me you don’t care for them.”

  “Care for them?” he sneers. “I don’t even like them. I despise them. What they are, what they represent…it’s every corrupt thing in this world. The reason why you should not be able to live. It will be just one more example of depravity & immorality.”

  I muster the last bit of awareness in me, the tiny bit of sanity I am hanging onto for dear life, and try to give him a sympathetic smile. “But you can change that. Right here and now. You can show that goodness and Light always prevails. You can walk out of here knowing that you did the right thing. Please, Xavier,” I plead. “Don’t let your pain push you into something you’re not. Don’t let your Light die and become a ghost of what you were because you were hurt. You’re better than that. Stronger than that.”

  He looks at me for a thoughtful moment, contemplating the alternative. Somewhere deep inside him, goodness stirs, beckoning him to return to what he truly his. To his true purpose. To the Light. I hold my breath, hoping- praying- that part of him isn’t gone forever.

  Xavier’s mouth turns up into a menacing leer, shattering my last shred of hope. All remnants of sympathy for him seep out of me with my trickling blood. “You think I’m stupid, girl? You think you can trick me into letting you go? Do. You. Know. Who. The. Fuck. I. Am!?” he screams in my face, suddenly hovering over me. Then his fist slams down onto my chest, stealing all the air from my lungs with a crack. I try to take a breath through the immense pain, but I can’t. I can’t breathe. Something is terribly wrong. My eyes grow horrified and panicked, as I silently plead for relief. Oh my God, I’m dying. I am really dying. I wheeze and pant, only swallowing tiny wisps of air. It’s not enough. Not enough to keep me alive.

  Xavier looks down at me with a satisfied grin, amused at the labored sounds of my injured lung. He could easily heal me yet he enjoys seeing me struggle for just the tiniest bit of oxygen. After a minute or so, he slowly brings his face to mine. He sees the life slipping away from me and wants to keep me alive just so he can kill me later. Sick, sadistic, twisted fuck.

  Just before his lips touch mine, his head snaps up, his golden irises blazing with fiery rage. “Impossible!” he seethes.

  Instantaneously, the entire room erupts into a quake, the slab underneath me shaking violently. I can feel the shift in the air turn dense with cracking energy. I can almost see tiny particles of electricity swirling around me, cocooning our bodies.

  “No!” Xavier grits. His hand is now on my neck, squeezing harder than I thought was possible, cutting off the sliver of oxygen I had just seconds ago. He hisses at something out of my line of sight. “No! If I can’t have you than neither can he!”

  The strain is too much, and I’ve been without air for longer than my battered body can take. I can’t fight anymore. There is no more fight left in me. It’s bled out of the gaping wounds that riddle my entire frame, staining the grey cement a deep crimson. Unconsciousness is so close, its warm blanket of comfort and oblivion outstretched to greet me. I want it. I need it in these final moments. Then with the wet, sickening crunch of my windpipe, my horrified eyes fall to small slits. And just as I let them close completely, before diving into my painless oasis, I see a flash of brilliant blue light and hear a low, terrifying growl.

  It’s all black now. Still. Cold.

  Numb.

  Chapter Twenty Nine

  White sands caress my bare toes, feeling as soft and warm as tiny silken diamonds. I lift my head to the sky, my eyes closing tightly against the intensity of the sun, and take a deep, cleansing breath. The air is so fresh, so clear. My lungs expand gratefully and take in as much as possible. It feels good…so good to breathe.

  My lips curl into the most genuine smile I’ve worn in months. My cheeks almost ache with the nearly foreign movement. But I smile through it. It’s a welcomed ache. Just as the bright, intense sun delivers a delightful burn, I relish in the sensation. It makes me feel vital. And happy. Finally happy.

  Crystal blue waves crash against large boulders in the distance. A breeze strokes my face and hair, ruffling my white sundress. My skin is flawless and clear, no remains of brutality anywhere to be found. I smile again. Maybe I can be beautiful here. Maybe scars don’t exist in this place. Maybe there are no broken spirits or crushed hearts. Just peace and bliss. Two things I never thought I’d ever truly achieve again. Two things that were ripped from me at only twenty years old.

  “Beautiful, isn’t it?” an incredibly smooth voice coos from beside me.

  I turn my head towards the voice, a voice I know as well as my own. A voice that has whispered anecdotes of love and adoration while warm, strong arms held me tight. A voice that could melt away all the fear and anxiety I’ve ever felt with just a simple ‘I love you.’ The only voice I have ever wanted to hear.

  “It is,” I smile at him. “So beautiful.”

  Dorian’s eyes sparkle against the backdrop of seawater and cloudless blue sky. His full lips curl up on one side as he gazes at me adoringly. “Only because you’re here.” He moves a curl from my face, tucking it behind my ear. I turn into his warm touch.

  “Mmmm,” I hum. “Where am I?”

  He brushes my cheek, his other hand finding mine. “Home.”

  I smile at the word and turn back into the gorgeous view of stone mountains, endless aquamarine, and distant clay houses. “Home.”

  We sit in perfectly comfortable silence for a long moment, enjoying the smell of saltwater and the feel of cool wind whipping through our loose clothing. I dig my toes deeper into the soft sand. I nearly giggle as the tiny granules tickle my sensitive digits.

  “Will you stay with me?” I ask in a small voice, still gazing out at the water.

  I feel Dorian shift beside me. “If you want me to.”

  “For how long?” I turn to face him, my expression free from worry and doubt.

  “However long it takes.”

  Satisfied with his response, I scoot next to him and rest my head on his shoulder. Dorian wraps his arm around me in response, holding me close to him. I turn into the bare skin of his neck and breathe in his sweet, alluring scent. It feels me with euphoria, and my body relaxes even more.

  “I’m not afraid,” I whisper, letting my eyes close for a moment and enjoying his closeness.

  His lips are in my hair. “I’m glad. You shouldn’t be afraid ever again.”

  I sigh with contentment. “I’ve missed you.”

  “Little girl, I’ve missed you more than you could ever imagine.”

  “So stay,” I murmur against the fabric of his white shirt. “Stay with me.”

  Dorian’s lips brush my forehead. “I’ll never leave you again.”

  We sit for several minutes, maybe hours, watching the waves collide with the giant jagged rocks until the sky begins to darken. Before night falls upon us completely, I turn to him. “I have to go, don’t I?”

  “Yes.”

  I nod, understanding washing through me. “Will you come with me?”

  I see Dorian smile in the dimming light, his eyes shimmering and luminescent. “I can’t. But I’ll be waiting for you.” His hands come up to cup my face and he brushes away tears I didn’t even know were there. He leans forward and presses his soft lips on my fo
rehead. Then they caress each cheek. When his warm lips finally meet mine, I instantly melt into his touch. Sensation rips through me, spiking my heart rate and stirring the butterflies in my stomach from hibernation. When he pulls away, I see a single, glistening tear roll down his cheek.

  “Close your eyes,” he whispers.

  I take in his beauty once more before steeling myself to do as he says. I’m not afraid. I’m not nervous. I just don’t want to end this. I don’t want to lose him again. But I know what I must do. I know that this is the only way. So with a deep, calming breath, I press my lips against his once more, close my eyes, and cross over to the other side.

  ***

  Air fills my lungs in a rush, so much so that I almost feel high with oxygen. My wide open eyes dart around frantically, looking for any sign of familiarity as my rigid hands grip the slick fabric underneath me. I know this place. The satin comforter, the black and gold motif, the smell of rainwater and fresh linen. I’ve been here before.

  Dorian’s suite.

  As if he could hear my realization, he’s at my side, cradling my head. “How do you feel?” he asks, concern etched on his troubled face. His blue eyes twinkle in the dim light flooding from the en suite bathroom.

  Immediately, my concern goes to my debilitating injuries. I stretch my hand in front of me, expecting to see mangled flesh and bone. It’s perfectly fine, and I wiggle each digit, ensuring full mobility. My hand touches the back of my head. I can feel knots of dried, caked blood yet there is no gash. Not even a touch of soreness where the wound would have been. My lungs and neck feel fine, no trace of labored, shallow breathing. And the pain…it’s gone. I look to Dorian with a puzzled, borderline panicked, look.

  “What happened? I was…he had me…I thought,” I stammer, clutching my chest. I realize it’s draped in feather-light silk, not tattered, bloodied rags. “Was it a dream?”