Ascending Darkness

by J. L. Weil

  Using my power for something good, I steered the perilous smoke straight for the bottle outstretched in Torent’s hand. If I slipped up . . . If it broke free . . . I refused to think like that.

  The smoke of shadows thrashed and struggled against me as I slowly began to force it to move toward us. I reinforced the power flowing through me, putting all the energy I had left in my body into trapping the curse.

  “This is not how I thought my night was going to go,” Brooklyn grumbled, but even when complaining, her voice had a silky threat to it.

  Beads of sweat gathered at my brow, but I almost had it to the opening of the bottle. Getting it inside would be another obstacle, one I was determined to see through.

  “You’re almost there,” Beck coaxed.

  Brooklyn snorted next to him, and from the corner of my eye, I caught my best friend jabbing her in the ribs with an elbow.

  I blocked out the two of them and shoved the smoke and darkness into the bottle. My eyes met Torent’s. Mrs. Augustine was there, slamming a metal stopper onto the bottle, which she promptly spelled, trapping the shadow inside.

  All five of us stared at the swirling mist as it clawed and curled around the glass.

  “I’ll turn it over to the Court. They’ll want to keep it secure until it can be destroyed,” Mrs. Augustine said, breaking the stunned silence that had followed.

  It was done. I was safe. The curse was gone. I loosed a breath of steam that swirled in the cool air as my shoulders slumped in exhaustion. “What was that?”

  The wind whipped at Mrs. Augustine’s long hair, but her expression remained fixed on the glass bottle. “Darkness ascended,” she declared, her gaze lifting to mine. “The blood hex is gone, Mallory. It stops with you.”

  My throat was too tight to respond. I only nodded, falling into Torent’s waiting arms.

  Chapter 17

  I frowned, staring at the scar just under Torent’s eye. It had been a week since the Cold Moon Ball—since I rid myself of the blood hex. The jagged cut Torent had received from the smoke of darkness was mostly healed, leaving behind a pink mark over his golden skin. Every time I looked at it, I was consumed with guilt.

  His pretty face was marred because of me.

  He gave me a lopsided grin, noticing where my attention had wandered. “Chicks dig scars, you know.”

  To be frank, he really didn’t seem to mind the permanent reminder of what went down that night.

  We were on Main Street in front of Shelf Indulgence bookstore on our way to Coffee Haven.

  “Is that so?” I smiled back, looping my arms around his neck, and lifted up on my toes to softly press a kiss to the mark. “I think you might be right.”

  His fingers laced around my waist, keeping me snug against his body and moving us to the side of the path. “Are you ever going to tell me?”

  I tilted my head to the side, gazing into his sparkling violet eyes.

  “Tell you what?” I asked, batting my eyes.

  That glimmer in his eyes grew wicked. “That you’re madly and deeply in love with me.”

  My heart began to beat wildly in my chest, and I shook my head. “God, you really don’t lack confidence, do you?”

  “I want to hear you say it,” he murmured, his voice dropping as he leaned in.

  How could I possibly resist? Why shouldn’t I tell him how I felt? If there was one thing being cursed taught me, it was that life was too short. I needed to live each moment as if it were my last. Torent became the light at the end of the tunnel—a demon. How ironic.

  I had planned on telling him how I felt and had been waiting for the right moment. Now was as good as any, although I should have made him suffer for being so arrogant. My fingers played with the hair at the nape of his neck, my gaze locked on his.

  “I love you, Torent Stark. Demon and all. Are you happy now?”

  “Almost.” He took my mouth, fast and hard, trapping me with the hardness of his body. The kiss stole the air from my lungs. “It just so happens that I’m in love with you. You’re stuck with me. I’ll never love anyone the way I love you, crash car. You’re magnetic.”

  A laugh fluttered up from my heart. “Cute.”

  Above our heads, pink, blue, and teal lights danced in the skies. Love like I never felt bloomed inside of me. Not an ounce of darkness.

  Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed Torent and Mallory’s journey. I’m grateful and honored you chose to read their story.

  xoxo

  Jennifer

  We hope you enjoyed this story in the Havenwood Falls High series of novellas featuring a variety of supernatural creatures. The series is a collaborative effort by multiple authors. Each book is generally a stand-alone, so you can read them in any order, although some authors will be writing sequels to their own stories. If you loved this story, you might also enjoy these:

  Inamorata by Randi Cooley Wilson

  Saving Infiniti by Rose Garcia

  Cast in Moonlight by Ali Winters

  Other books in the Young Adult Havenwood Falls High series, in recommended order of reading (however, each author has written a stand-alone story, so they can be read in any order):

  Written in the Stars by Kallie Ross

  Reawakened by Morgan Wylie

  The Fall by Kristen Yard

  Somewhere Within by Amy Hale

  Awaken the Soul by Michele G. Miller

  Bound by Shadows by Cameo Renae

  Inamorata by Randi Cooley Wilson

  Fata Morgana by E.J. Fechenda

  Forever Emeline by Katie M. John

  Reclamation by AnnaLisa Grant

  Avenoir by Daniele Lanzarotta

  Avenge the Heart by Michele G. Miller

  Curse the Night by R.K. Ryals

  Blood & Iron by Amy Hale

  Shadows & Spells by Cameo Renae

  Falling Deep by J.L. Weil

  Saving Infiniti by Rose Garcia

  Willful by Liz Ferry

  Cast in Moonlight by Ali Winters

  Promise the Moon by Kallie Ross

  Blurred Lines by Daniele Lanzarotta

  Ascending Darkness by J.L. Weil

  Finding Infiniti by Rose Garcia

  Unicorn’s Lament by Megan Linski

  More books releasing on a monthly basis. Stay up to date at www.HavenwoodFalls.com

  Subscribe to our reader group and receive free stories and more!

  About the Author

  J.L. Weil is a USA Today bestselling author of teen and new adult paranormal romance, fantasy, and urban fantasy books about spunky, smart-mouthed girls who always wind up in dire situations. For every sassy girl, there is an equally mouthwatering, overprotective guy. She lives in Illinois with her family who puts up with her Supernatural and Harry Potter fanatics. It’s a problem.

  You can visit her online at: www.jlweil.com or come hang out with her at J.L. Weil’s Dark Divas on Facebook.

  Acknowledgments

  This book would not exist without Kristie Cook. Thank you so much for inviting and letting me be a part of this wonderful and magical world. I enjoyed the challenge!

  To the Havenwood Falls team and authors, it has been an absolute joy to take this journey with all of you.

  To the readers who continue to show my books so much love, words can’t express my gratitude. You continue to uplift me and support me in ways I never thought possible. I am truly lucky.

  And to my family, thank you for putting up with all my “just one more sentence” promises, and reminding me to step away from the laptop and enjoy life.

 

 

 
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