Dwellers of Darkness (Darkness Series #3)

by Brown, Stacey Marie

He can’t, but he is close, and he’s not alone. Samantha is with him.

  The growl coming from my throat shocked even me. My hatred for Samantha overshadowed even my loathing of Lorcan. She had killed my friend, Ian, by coldly slicing his throat in front of me just because she was jealous over Eli. My revenge burrowed deep; I needed her blood.

  Eli took off through the brush. His journey was a lot more silent than mine as we headed for the property line. To humans I would be nearly undetectable, but to a Dark Dweller, I probably sounded like a herd of elephants.

  I felt the magic of the spell come upon me. Warmth pulsated over my skin like a heartbeat, and I knew the property line was close. The silhouettes of three figures stood on the other side of the line. My eyes took in what was in front of me, but it required a little longer for my brain to really grasp it.

  “Kennedy!”

  Lorcan’s hand firmly gripped Kennedy’s throat. His usual smug smile was plastered on his face. He was shorter than Eli but had the same color eyes and hair. “Look what we found wandering all alone in the woods.” Lorcan clicked his tongue at us. “You guys make it too easy.”

  “I’m sorry.” Kennedy’s eyes watered, fear etched on her face. “I needed some air and didn’t realize I had crossed the line.” Cole had warned us about boundaries. But because she stepped out, not in, the charm didn’t go off to warn the Dark Dwellers.

  “Oh, Damnú air! Shut up you whiny bitch.” Samantha rolled her eyes. “All you humans are so irritating.”

  If I weren’t so scared for Kennedy, I would have laughed. Samantha was the last one to talk about being whiny, bitchy, or irritating.

  “Still, I think we might keep this one. She’s a special one, aren’t you?” Lorcan patted Kennedy on the head.

  “Don’t you dare hurt her.” My muscles twitched. Even if I couldn’t turn into a Dark Dweller, the desire to kill was still there.

  “Hurt her? Now, why would I want to harm her?” Lorcan grinned. “I came here for you, Ember, but now I will be leaving with something even better.”

  Eli rumbled, his back hitching up in an attack stance, while he inched closer to the property edge.

  “What are you doing here, Lorcan?” I asked. This wasn’t the first time he had dropped in unannounced. He was opportunist and used his Dark Dweller stealth to unsettle the balance of power.

  He ignored me and faced the midnight-colored beast next to me. “I am a little hurt you kept this from us. Thought we were family, Elighan. This changes everything. Our parents would be disappointed in the way you turned out. Picking a Dae over your own blood and now keeping a Druid from your family.” He wiped his hand over his head, in the same way Eli always did when he was frustrated. Lorcan and Eli were brothers and were very different, but you could see the family resemblance in their habits and voice. It could be extremely disturbing. Lorcan was a good-looking guy, but all I could see was a twisted soul. Years of jealousy and anger evolved it into a dark mass of vindictive ugliness. “So as usual, little brother, you pick your dick over your family.”

  “At least he gets to choose. You are a dick. There is no getting away from that.”

  “Such a little spitfire, aren’t you? Think I am starting to see what Eli sees in you... ahhh... nope, it’s gone.”

  Samantha snorted.

  “I have to admit I am surprised to see you here after what happened last time. I tell you your boyfriend killed your mother, and you still run back into his arms.” Lorcan swept a hand between me and Eli. “Guess your standards are even lower than I imagined.”

  “As one of the Queen’s lackeys, I’d think you would know I saved my very-much-alive mother from the Queen’s dungeon.”

  “I am not exactly working with the Queen any—”

  I kept talking. “You get off on doing shit like this. You’re so jealous of your brother you want to hurt him any way you can. I was merely a perk. Do you get a hard-on by lying and manipulating? Is it the only thing you understand? You are sad and pathetic.” I didn’t stand firmly behind the sentiment that Lorcan had done it all for kicks. I knew something had happened between them and my mom. But my mother was alive, and Lorcan didn’t need to know my doubts.

  Lorcan’s eyebrow rose. “Really? I’m the liar here? I won’t deny I will sway someone to get what I want, but I’ve never lied to you. Why would I need to? The truth is so much more fun.”

  He had said many things the night he told me they killed my mother. And when he touched my tattoo, the pain we both had felt had been excruciating. Eli’s contact had once been slightly painful, too, but nothing compared to Lorcan’s. Since Eli had given me his blood, his touch no longer burned, and only caused a slight buzz. My tattoo was tied to them. Another mystery I needed to figure out. Right now, my priority was getting Kennedy away from Lorcan.

  “How did you know I was here? I thought there was an enchantment to keep you from remembering this place?”

  Lorcan scoffed. “I am smarter than all of them combined. I always have been. Don’t look so nervous there, Emmy. I can’t cross it, but I can always find my way back here. I made sure of that.” I didn’t know exactly what he meant, but I didn’t doubt him. Lorcan was devious and smart. He would find a way.

  “Cross the line, Ember. I dare you,” Samantha taunted. “Don’t you want to be reunited with your friend here? What was the name of the other stupid human I killed?”

  A flash of Ian’s goofy smile surged into my mind. I wanted her to pay. I took a step forward. Eli brushed against me, rumbling, and blocking me from Sam.

  “Come on, now.” Lorcan tugged Kennedy tighter into his body. “Can’t we all be one big happy family?”

  With a growl, I stepped around Eli. “You don’t know the first thing about being a family. I think West would agree with that.” Anger burned my words. “Or do you only call people family when they behave how you want them to?”

  “Ember, should you really speak about family? When you did nothing to get your dear ol’ dad out of the Otherworld? You left him and your other two friends there. Leaving the ones who weren’t important? Is it really being a loving friend or daughter to only take the ones who would help you? You let the others die because you are too selfish to step up to the plate.”

  I snapped. My brain shut off to thought or reason, and I went for Lorcan. Samantha ran at me, cutting off my charge. Energy surged from me, my eyes narrowing. All my different powers wanted to explode out, but the Dark Dweller won.

  Kill. Prey. Mine.

  Eli moved with me. Not missing a beat, he went for Lorcan when Samantha came for me. Lorcan didn’t even have time to transform before Eli ploughed him to the ground. Kennedy went flying through the air, hitting a tree. Her body went limp as she hit the earth, and I prayed she was only unconscious.

  I drove my force into Samantha, and we both went skidding across the dirt. Samantha and I had fought before. Even with all my different magic elements, Samantha was still a match in a fight. She was quick and powerful, and she no longer held back like the first time. By the time I could get my abilities directed on her, she was already on me. My fists balled in retaliation, smashing into her face.

  She growled, and her claws popped out, swinging toward me. The Dark Dweller in me responded. I’d been told when this happens, not only do my eyes turn black, but the pupils narrow into a diamond shape. I ducked, barreled into her legs, and knocked us both to the ground. She rolled me over, straddling me. Her arm went back, and her nails prepared to dig into my face.

  My telekinetic powers threw her in the air, and her body cracked into a stone surface. She thrashed, spitting and twisting against my mind-hold on her. The strength with which she fought against my powers tired me. Not able to sustain her, she dropped to the ground. She got right up, heading for me once again. Even with my training, she could physically outfight me. She was born to kill, but my mind held her back from actually touching me.

  “You bitch! Hiding behind your powers. Fight like the Dark Dweller you pretend
to be.”

  “You think I am gonna play fair?” I laughed. “How little you know me, Sam. I will do anything to kill you.”

  She snarled, about to respond, when Cooper, Gabby, and Jared leaped from the forest, halting at the property line. How did they know we were here?

  As I finished this thought, I remembered they had the ability to talk in each other’s head like Torin and I did. Eli probably contacted them.

  “Kennedy!” Jared screamed and hurled himself toward her. Cooper and Gabby leaped over the line. They kept in their human forms, but aspects of the Dark Dweller broke through. Their teeth grew long and dagger-like, and their nails became sharp and sickle-shaped.

  “Back off, Lorcan.” Cooper scowled.

  Eli and Lorcan separated. Lorcan stood, rubbing blood from his chin.

  I stepped away from Samantha, letting my power release her. She fell forward onto her face, but bounced up with her lip hooked in a snarl. Still, she didn’t come after me. We had back-up now, and we outnumbered them.

  Jared lifted Kennedy’s tiny frame, cuddling her into his chest as he bounded for the property line.

  “No!” Lorcan sprung toward Jared and paused at the ward. “Jared, stop. Don’t you see this changes everything? I was only using the Queen to get what was rightfully ours. But the little Druid alters things. We can use her.” He pointed to Kennedy. “You and I are family. Don’t you want what is best for the family?”

  “This has nothing to do with family. There is no ‘we’ in that sentence, only a ‘you’.” Jared turned away with Kennedy draped in his arms, then looked back. “Oh, and, Lorcan, go fuck yourself.”

  I couldn’t hide my grin of satisfaction. Cooper and Gabby crossed back over the line and guarded Jared and Kennedy just in case Lorcan made a play for her.

  “I second it.” Eli’s voice startled me. His arm went around my waist as he spoke to Lorcan, dragging me toward the ward line. He was in his human form and completely naked. This was something, no matter what was going on, you couldn’t help but notice.

  FOUR

  We ran back to the house at full speed.

  “Jared, take her into the cabin. Cooper, go get Owen,” Eli directed. “Gabby, find Cole. I need to find pants.” He continued to the house. All four of them curved in opposite directions. I followed the figure in Jared’s arms. She was now awake, holding tightly onto Jared’s neck. He burst through the door; light cascaded down the steps and illuminated the way for us.

  “What the hell happened?” I heard my mother ask from inside the room. Springs from the bed creaked as she jumped up. Her outline dashed through the doorway, coming behind Jared to help him.

  My feet hit the steps, and I plunged from the darkness into the bright room.

  “I’m okay, Jared. You can put me down.” Kennedy looked up at him.

  Jared’s face was set in stone. “You’re getting checked. You might have a concussion,” he insisted and placed her gently on the bed. Jared was not like the rest of his family. He was the only one born on Earth, and his mother had been human. Half Dark Dweller or not, when it came to being protective of what he considered “his,” he became full-blooded.

  “What’s going on?” Mom looked at me. I was about to respond when Eli, Cole, and Owen clambered up the steps and entered the room. Both Cooper and Gabby were absent. They must have been ordered to stay out; otherwise, Gabby would have been there. Gabby sought out drama like a drug addict. She reveled in it.

  “What happened?” Cole echoed. “Gabby wouldn’t tell me anything except Kennedy might be hurt.”

  “I’m fine.” Kennedy’s small voice was nearly drowned out by everyone clucking around her.

  “Eli, why didn’t you contact me?” Cole bellowed.

  Eli stretched to his full height. “I knew you were busy. I linked with Cooper who brought Gabby and Jared. But Lorcan didn’t come to fight. He only came here with Sam. If he wanted to fight us, he would have come with the Queen’s army. He wanted to show he could get to us.”

  Cole stepped closer. “I don’t care. You should always call me. He had Kennedy and could have killed her not knowing how special she is. Worse, what if he found out what she was?”

  Too late. Lorcan already knew, I thought.

  “I am the Second. Trust I know what I am doing.” Eli eyes flashed.

  “Oh, now you want to be Second again? You have been absent from the position for three years. Your choices and decisions have almost exposed us. You have been a nightmare to deal with, unhinged, and erratic.” He got into Eli’s face. Cole was only six feet tall, but his Alpha authority made him appear taller. “And now you want me to trust you?”

  Eli’s jaw muscles strained. “Yes.”

  “Even though you almost put Kennedy and Ember in Lorcan’s hands?”

  “Everyone shut up.” I yelled. “This is not the time to hash out grudges.”

  A hush came over the space.

  “Owen?” I motioned toward Kennedy. He skirted the objects blocking his path and moved next to his patient. While he checked her, I herded the group to the other side of the room. “The rest of you come with me. We don’t need your personal shit right now.”

  Cole and Eli both shuffled and looked away. Cole breathed out, his shoulders relaxing. “Okay, tell me exactly what happened.”

  “Lorcan happened,” Eli puffed out, and the muscles in his face slackened with released tension. Eli and I explained, with Jared and Kennedy popping in with their additions to the story.

  “Damn!” Cole scrubbed at his face. “We really didn’t need him knowing about her. Aneira will be after her as well.”

  Eli’s head moved back and forth. “I don’t know if Lorcan will tell the Queen. At least not yet. I know how his brain works. He’s an opportunist.”

  I rocked on the balls of my feet. “I kind of agree with Eli. Lorcan is not someone to trust, but he made it sound as if he wasn’t working with the Queen anymore. He wanted Kennedy so he wouldn’t need the Queen.”

  My mom gritted her teeth. “I don’t trust anything coming from Lorcan’s mouth.”

  “I don’t either. We need to stay on guard; even if the Queen doesn’t know, Lorcan does now. He’ll be after her,” Eli leaned back against the wall.

  Cole agreed. “To be safe, let’s run our boundaries. I want to be sure everything is secure and the spells aren’t broken.”

  Eli immediately headed for the door, Cole behind him. Jared sat beside Kennedy, but he looked longingly at the door.

  Kennedy placed her hand over Jared’s. “I’m okay. Now please go. I want you to.”

  “No. I’m not leaving you.” He pressed his mouth into a thin line, his eyes darting between the door and Kennedy.

  “Go,” Owen interjected. “She’s fine and will be here when you get back.”

  Jared stood, leaned over to kiss Kennedy on the forehead, and ran out the door. Like me, he could never change into a full Dark Dweller but had the senses and traits of one. He tried his best to keep up with them.

  Owen left soon after declaring his patient concussion-free and in good health. Mom went to into the shower to scrub the years of grime and torture from her skin. Knowing I stilled smelled of Eli, I was dying for one as well. It would have to wait; one of us needed to stay with Kennedy. Mom’s shower was much more deserved, so I sat on Kennedy’s bed, rolling my hair up into a loose bun.

  “So what’s going to happen?” Kennedy brushed at the non-existent lint on her pants. “Now Lorcan knows about me.”

  Pulling my legs under me, I turned to face her. “Cole is still afraid Lorcan might use you as a bargaining chip with the Queen. Eli agrees but seems to think Lorcan will sit on this knowledge till he needs it. Lorcan is an opportunist, and he doesn’t do anything unless it helps him. What’s preventing him from eventually going to the Queen? We don’t know. Either way, it doesn’t matter. The information about you is out. You really aren’t safe anymore.”

  Kennedy looked down and her fingers twisted aroun
d the material of her blanket. A heavy sigh rose from deep within her. “I think I understood from the moment Lorcan kidnapped us I would never be able to go back again. It was something I just knew, without realizing why. I understand more now why you stayed away from us. I don’t want anything to happen to my family. My little sister, Hailey... God, I can’t imagine if they hurt her. Or my parents.” A tear rolled down her cheek. Removing her glasses she wiped her face. “It kills me knowing I will never see them again.”

  “Never say never.” I clasped her arm. “We don’t know what the future will bring, but maybe you’ll see them again.”

  A thin smile turned her lips up. “Thank you, Em, for being here. You don’t know how comforting it is to have you by my side during this.” Taking my hand in hers, she gave it a squeeze.

  “Well, there’s really nowhere else I’d rather be or actually am allowed to be.” I grinned at her with my “you-know-you-love-me” smile.

  She chuckled, but quickly stopped. “God, Ember, what are we going to do about Ryan? Leaving him there, so sick.”

  “I know. It almost broke me, too. We will get him out. I promise you I won’t rest till we do.”

  She nodded, looking away, and blinked back tears. A little laugh came from her throat. “Who would have thought this would be our fate when we met in junior high?”

  “I always knew we were meant for different things... not sure fighting the Queen of the Otherworld and turning out to be part Demon and part Fairy were among my visions. I was thinking more like animal activists or studying abroad for a year.”

  Kennedy giggled. “Yeah, not in a thousand years did I think I was from a long, lost line of Druids.”

  “Well, sounds like in a thousand years you might still be around. Perhaps then you can come to terms with it.” For some reason this hit us, and we both started laughing until tears leaked from our eyes.

  “Holy cow. This is crazy.” Kennedy wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.

  “Welcome to my world.” I gestured with my arms. We sat for a moment, regaining our composure. The water turned off in the next room; my mom had finished her shower.