Dwellers of Darkness (Darkness Series #3)

by Brown, Stacey Marie

  “It would be a nurse fantasy.”

  As I reached for the top of his jeans, he cupped my chin and forced me to look up into his face. His expression was serious. “As I said, don’t ever do that to me again. All right?” His words were simple, but I knew they meant so much more. This was equivalent to him baring his soul, letting me see him vulnerable. All I could do was nod in response.

  “I told you once I would follow you anywhere, and I meant it.” Then his lips were back on mine. I tugged on the belt loops, bringing him in against me. His hands dropped from my face, and stopped at my exercise bra, which he stripped over my head and tossed to the side. His hands roamed over my bare skin, which set it on fire. With a tug, his jeans dropped to the floor. Of course he wore nothing under them. He kicked off his boots and stepped out of jeans without his lips leaving my body. He peeled my jeans over my hips and yanked them off. Only one tiny piece of fabric was now left between us. He climbed up on the table, laying me back. His skin pressed against mine and had every nerve tingling.

  “Fuck, I’ve missed you,” he mumbled, his lips and hands exploring every inch of me.

  Reaching for my underwear, he once again paused. This time I also heard what had stopped him. The door to the cabin swung open. Mom, Kennedy, and Jared walked in. They paused in their tracks.

  I closed my eyes and exhaled.

  “Shit.”

  SIX

  “What the hell is going on here?”

  Nothing is scarier than a mother’s fury, and I could feel my mom burning a hole into me; actually, it was boring into Eli’s bare ass. I had to give him credit; he did not flinch or scamper off and hide like I wanted to. He stood up grabbed his pants and slipped quickly into them with an amused grin on his face. I wrapped my arms around my bare breasts and willed myself smaller.

  Stop smiling. This is so not funny, my eyes said to his.

  You’re right... it’s not funny... it’s fuckin’ hilarious. He chuckled under his breath.

  If my mother doesn’t kill you, I will. I shook my head, sliding off the table and grabbed any clothes within my grasp.

  Kennedy mumbled apologies and was already half way out the door. Jared seemed caught between embarrassed and entertained. My mother was close to shooting fire out of her eyes.

  “We will give you a moment, and then I want to have a few words with you.” Rage coated every syllable my mother uttered. She curtly turned, grabbed Jared by the arm, and pulled him out with her to where Kennedy stood on the porch. Eli’s eyes still ran over the last of my nakedness he could absorb.

  “Crap, crap, crap,” I repeated, tugging on what garments I could find.

  “Like she didn’t know.”

  “Thinking you know is one thing; seeing it is different. Especially when you’re naked and on top of her daughter.” A flush of humiliation heated my face.

  “Awww, look your ears are turning red.” Eli stood over me, his hand cupping the side of my face. He leaned down and kissed the tip of my ear.

  My mother is right outside the door ready to murder us both. I looked up into his green eyes.

  Let her. I am not afraid of your mother.

  You should be.

  You’re the only who can scare the crap out of me. I can handle her.

  Where do you think I learned it from? My eyebrow arched.

  Mom banged her fist against the door. “Ember, you better be dressed because I am coming in.” She only paused a brief moment before entering. I was relatively dressed... at least my sweatpants and tank were back on. Eli was only wearing his jeans, so he swiped his shirt off the floor and pulled it on as she entered.

  Arms crossed, she settled herself in the middle of the room. “Elighan, I would like a word with my daughter.” Her commanding tone suddenly made me feel like a kid again. I gulped the panic in my stomach back down.

  Eli turned to me. You’re right; she is scary. He winked before maneuvering his large frame around my tiny mother, who stood like an unmovable boulder, and left me. The sound of the door closing behind him made me wish I could follow.

  Don’t leave me.

  When Mom spoke, it was in the overly-calm, controlled voice which scared me more than if she yelled. “I knew I would have to deal with you having sex with boys, but I will admit not even I imagined you’d be with a Dark Dweller.” Her lips turned white as they pressed together. “I don’t want you seeing him anymore.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “He is dangerous, and I mean it in the most extreme sense. Elighan is not someone you should be near. You don’t know how shady and terrible Dark Dwellers are.”

  “I’m sorry, but are you telling me who I can and cannot see? The woman who disappeared, who lied to me all my life, who I thought was dead for the last seven years of my life? Really, you are going to stand there and tell me what to do?” I yelled. “What I’m doing with Eli is none of your business. You are a little late for the birds and bees talk. Your daughter isn’t a little girl anymore. I haven’t been for a long time. I’m an adult and capable of making my own decisions.”

  “This is what you call making a grown-up decision?” she shrieked. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you during those years. You don’t know how much I regret the time I lost with you, but you will always be my daughter, and I will always want to protect you.” The stubbornness in her tone matched my own. “The Dark Dwellers are soulless killers. You do not want to be involved with them. I’m saying this because I love you. Please, trust me on this.”

  “Trust you? Really? This is so incredibly ironic coming from you.” Anger layered thickly in my chest. Needing to move, I went to grab the knife still on the floor from when I tackled Eli. “The Dark Dwellers are not what they used to be, and neither am I.”

  Mom shifted, keeping me in her sight. “Believe me they are, and they’ve done terrible things in the past. You need to believe me on this.”

  “No. Tell me what you know besides what you remember of them in the Otherworld? I already know they were mercenary killers. Is there more to it?” The words fell out of my mouth in a storm of resentment. The two bulbs that still remained intact flickered with my impatience. I took in a lungful of air, trying to compose myself.

  Mom’s jaw clenched, her eyes looking away.

  “Okay, so tell me,” I demanded. “You obviously knew them or interacted with them in the Otherworld. Am I wrong?”

  “No, you are not wrong.” Her finger twisted at the empty spot where her wedding ring used to be.

  I could see her debating on opening up to me. She was still hiding things from me. “Mom?”

  A crease shot across my mother’s forehead before she shook her head slightly. “I understand you are mad. But don’t let your anger at me cause you to make reckless decisions.”

  For some reason this only infuriated me more. A small, crazed laugh erupted from my lips. “This coming from the woman who, when I was three, dated the most wild and dodgy men she could find... any male with a bike between his legs. Guess I take after you more than I thought.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “This is different, and you know it.”

  “Is it?” I slammed the knife on the table. Suddenly, I was a teenager rebelling against my parents. “Don’t tell me some of those guys you went out with hadn’t killed? The only difference is yours were human. Oh, right, not all of them were. You were married before, right? To a Fay who you cheated on with a Demon. Then you married Mark. Is it considered polygamy if you’re married to two different species?” I threw out my arms as I churned with resentment. “Yeah, I should really listen to you. I love how you are criticizing my choices when yours have not been so stellar.”

  My mom gasped. “How do you know about Eris?”

  “Eris? Was that his name?”

  “Yes,” she whispered.

  “Did you love him? Did he know about the affair?” I had so many questions tumbling around in my head.

  “He did find out about the affair. But it was not as if he wasn’t h
aving a string of his own.” Every word she uttered looked painful and forced. “Before the betrothal, he was a nice man, or so we all thought. After the marriage, his true personality came out. He was a cruel and abusive man, and he married purely for the title and status.”

  I felt sick to my stomach. My mother’s past was full of hidden secrets and heartbreaking memories. Still, I could not seem to get past my own anger. “Why didn’t you tell me any of this? Why did I have to hear this from Lars? It’s sad and slightly funny a Demon has been more honest with me than my own mother.”

  She flinched and took in a deep breath. “I did what I thought was right at the time. Don’t judge me. I am your mother.”

  “Technically... but you haven’t been my mother for seven years. Mark has been my mother and father. You have to earn the title,” I bellowed. Her eyes filled, and she stepped away from, me, her face drawn and tired all of a sudden. Immediately, I felt guilty. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean it.”

  She looked to the side, tears sliding down her cheeks. “Yes, you did, and you’re right. I wasn’t there for you.” She gulped and brushed the salty drops from her face. “I still want you to be my little girl. I want to pretend I didn’t miss all those years with you. But I did, and no apology in the world is going to get them back.”

  My stomach twisted. “No, it’s not. But I know you did what you did to protect me.” Picking up the knife again, I touched the metal, focusing on the intricate design etched on the blade. I shoved it back into the slot in my boot. “We can’t just pick up where we left off. Things are not so simple.”

  Mom’s head bobbed. “I know. But I want to try. Get to know each other again.”

  “Yeah... that would be good.”

  “But first we need to get out of here. We need to find someplace safe. Away from them.”

  And there went those peaceful feelings that had begun to float down around me. “What?”

  “Ember, we talked about this. I know you have feelings for Eli, but trust me. We need to get as far away from them as possible. I thought that was what you wanted as well? Or at least it was before this encounter with Elighan.”

  “It was. But I came to my senses.”

  “No. You were right the first time. We need to go.”

  “Go where?” I threw up my hands. Even though I had agreed last night to leave, now I wasn’t sure if I would have gone through with it.

  “Up north. I have connections in Canada. We can stay with them.”

  She’d been planning for this, waiting for me to say the word. The night before I might have left, but things were different today. Maybe I was being more honest with myself. I would have gone out of spite, even knowing I was being stupid. My stubbornness knew no bounds, but neither did my mother’s. I could tell she’d made up her mind to go, despite of how dangerous it would be. It would take a lot to convince her otherwise.

  “And then what? Aneira is not going to sit back. She will be coming for us. We are being hunted now. We wouldn’t even reach Canada. Also, I need to be here for Kennedy and devise a plan to get Mark and Ryan out of the Otherworld. Did you forget about them?”

  “Of course not. We can still plan to get Mark and Ryan out up there only without the Dark Dwellers.”

  “I know what I said in the note earlier. I was angry and not thinking clearly. We can’t leave, and you know it.”

  “Maybe you’re not thinking clearly now. Elighan has you wrapped around his finger.”

  My eyes contracted. “Don’t. I am not some silly girl. I never have been. So don’t turn me into something because it suits your argument.” I sucked in a deep breath. “My stubbornness, which I inherited from you, did not let me see the obvious. They are one of the most powerful Fae to have on our side. Having them with us only helps. I am not leaving.”

  My mom’s teeth gritted together. “If it wasn’t for Elighan, would you be more willing to go?”

  “It doesn’t really matter because Eli is a part of this... a part of me.”

  “You may feel this way now, but—”

  “No.” I cut her off. “You don’t get it. Stop making me feel like some daft, dreamy, teenage girl. When I say he is part of me, it is not hypothetical.”

  Mom’s eyes locked on mine. “What do you mean?”

  “I’m one of them.” My arms folded over my chest. “Eli’s blood runs in my veins. I am part Dark Dweller now. I won’t leave him, and besides, it would be pointless. There isn’t a place on Earth he wouldn’t be able to find me.”

  Her head shook back and forth hastily. “It is not possible.”

  “Yeah, everyone keeps saying that, but here I am. Eli saved my life. I was dying, and Eli gave me his blood. I wouldn’t have survived without it. Most thought I wouldn’t survive with it, but I did. Owen thinks Daes respond differently to foreign blood. Our blood doesn’t reject it but takes it on, molding it with our own.”

  “Owen’s tested you? He knows this for sure?”

  “Yes. He salivates every time he can get a needle near me. Last time he checked, I had thirteen strands of DNA. A normal Fae has around eight. I took on Dark Dweller DNA and made it my own. No one knows if this is a Dae-thing or me-thing because Daes keep ending up dead. No one I’ve talked to really understands or knows the full capability of a Dae,” I explained. It felt strange to explain this to the woman who gave birth to me. I guess even having a Dae didn’t make you knowledgeable of one. “Guess they didn’t have a parenting book on Daes when you were pregnant with me, huh?”

  Mom’s mouth hung slack. Then she grimaced, looking away.

  “Who was my father?” I pulled at my necklace. “Did he rape you?”

  Mom’s head jolted, looked toward me, and then turned away again. “I don’t want to talk about this right now.”

  “You don’t want to talk about it? Don’t you think I have a right to know?”

  Rubbing her temples, she sighed. “Yes, but not right now. Please, give me a little more time. Okay?”

  My shoulders sunk, but I could see the pain on her face. “Yeah, okay.”

  “You were not conceived in rape. It was purely from love, but it is complicated. I will tell you the whole story... someday. I promise.”

  Nodding, I looked down at my boots. “So now what?”

  “I don’t know. This is all too much to take in.” Mom looked as lost as I felt. “We’ll stay for now.”

  The gully between us did not feel much narrower. So much divided us. Our once close, loving relationship strained under the weight of what our decisions and fate had dealt us.

  SEVEN

  Cole and Owen worked with Kennedy for most of the day. Jared was right next to her, also learning about the history of the Druids. I popped in to show my support, but after two hours of an in-depth history lesson, my mind went numb. I still hadn’t told Kennedy about Ryan or my dreamwalk. It never felt like the right time to say: “Oh, by the way, our friend will never be able to come back to Earth’s realm again.” I would tell her; I would. Right then I wanted her to focus on what she could change. She had to concentrate on learning how to be a Druid.

  Eli had disappeared after our little morning encounter. Subtly, or not so subtly, I searched the grounds for him.

  It was a beautifully rare and extremely hot summer day in Olympia. Cooper stepped onto the porch of the ranch house, a mid-day beer in his hand. The squeaky screen door slammed behind him as he exited the house. “He’s not here.”

  “Where did he go?” To pretend I wasn’t looking for Eli seemed ludicrous.

  “He’s out on a job.” Cooper took a swig of his beer. “Since I don’t have a bike yet, and all the others are being used, the bastard took Gabby and left me behind.”

  “What do you mean a job?”

  “We still have to survive here on Earth and earn money. We have to work.”

  The Dark Dwellers went by another name on Earth, the RODs—Riders of Darkness. They were a local motorcycle “club,” which controlled Olympia and a lot
of the northern coast line of Washington. They were feared by the average population and respected in the biking world. No doubt their Dark Fae aura helped people naturally fear them. At one time their club was larger, but with Lorcan taking some viable members, it had shrunk down to six. Jared didn’t go with them yet, but the four large guys and one fierce girl still held a strong presence in Washington.

  “What does this ‘job’ entail?” I stepped on to the porch and settled on the rail.

  Cooper sat down on the rocking chair. “You think I’m gonna tell you?”

  “Yeah, I do.” I swiped the bottle from his hand and took a drink. Ugh. I hated beer. It tasted like skunk piss with week-old oatmeal added.

  “Hey. Get your own.” Cooper tried to grab it back.

  “Nah. I don’t actually like beer.” I finished off the last swigs of his beer trying not to gag and handed it back to Cooper. “Now talk.”

  “Man, you are frustrating.” He rocked back in the chair, chucking the empty bottle into the recycle bin to his right. I smiled. “But remember, I grew up with Gabby. No one can break me.” He returned the smug smile back at me. “We have to get money, Ember, and it is better you don’t know how we do it.”

  “Why? What do you guys do?” My stomach knotted. I had heard stories. A lot of different ones. I didn’t want any of them to be true.

  “We are Dark Fae. At one time we were hired assassins, mercenaries by nature, and we killed for a living. We don’t do that anymore, which is all you need to know.”

  My mouth opened to argue. Then it closed. Something kept me from exploring this further. A part of me wanted to know, but most of me didn’t. I knew it wouldn’t make me happy. Eli and the rest of them had been in jail more times than I could count. But to hear the actual words come from Cooper’s mouth could change things.

  “If you keep hoping to see a nice, good side to us, you should walk away now. Eli is certainly not, and neither are the rest of us. This is us actually trying to be better. Leave it at that.”