Darkness Shifting: Tides of Darkness Book One

by Sarah Blair

  “My duty,” he said.

  “I was fine!” Her hopes of saving Mitch were starting to feel as limp as the dead creature’s head dangling off the edge of the table. “What are we supposed to do now?”

  “There are six other bodies here,” Dimitrius said.

  “You told us to sever the heads,” Banks said.

  “Does that matter?” Sidney asked.

  “Just because I can reanimate a body, doesn’t mean I can make it functional. There’s maybe two people in the world with that kind of power, and I’m definitely not one of them.”

  “Who? Can we bring them here?”

  “They wouldn’t make it in time.”

  “In time for what?” Williams asked.

  Mitch put his hands on the corners of the table and leaned heavily against it. “How about Renny? You said he’s a medium.”

  Sidney nodded. The panic threatening to consume her eased back a bit. As long as she had some bit of hope to grasp on to, she could manage. “That’s a good idea. We have to find him though.”

  “I know how to get in touch with him,” Dimitrius said. “In the meantime, why don’t we remove ourselves to a more comfortable location?”

  Thirty-Two

  The elevator ride upstairs gave Sidney the time she needed to gain a hold of herself and clear her head. The wash of magic had overwhelmed her, and the sudden way it had been interrupted left her feeling drained. But at least there was another option. She had to hope Renny might be able to pick up on something that would help.

  It worried her, the way Mitch leaned so heavily against the wall of the elevator. His usually impeccable posture sagged forward slightly, and his knuckles were white where he rested his hands on his thighs. He glanced up at her and the spark in his eyes was faded. The straight line of his lips pressed upward in one corner, as if to reassure her that it would all be fine, but it only added to her worry. She wanted to cross the small space and wrap her arms around him, but somehow she’d ended up on one side, and he was on the other with everyone else in between.

  They found Argus and Malcolm in the main room upstairs where Sidney had first met Dimitrius. The two brothers sat at the enormous round table as if they were right at home, with a frosted stein of beer in one fist and a roasted turkey leg in the other. Their hands were so big, they made the huge chunk of meat look like a frog’s leg.

  With everything that had happened that day, Sidney couldn’t find her appetite, so she moved over to the area in front of the fireplace with Mitch, Williams, Banks, and Tyran. Dimitrius murmured quiet instructions to his assistant, then joined them.

  Williams dug his elbow into her side. Sidney glared at him and he gave her a pointed nod toward the sword over the mantelpiece. He arched one eyebrow.

  Dimitrius joined them. “Renny should arrive shortly. Would any of you care for dinner while we wait?”

  After the episode downstairs, no one else seemed to have an appetite either.

  Only Williams spoke up. “I’ve never seen such a magnificent sword. Not in real life anyway.”

  “Ah, you’re interested in my sword? Many people are fascinated by its enormous size and superior quality.” Sidney couldn’t be sure, because it happened so fast, but she could have sworn Dimitrius winked at her.

  Tyran covered a short laugh and went over to join Argus and Malcolm.

  “Oh?” Williams’ voice cracked slightly. He pressed his lips together tightly and his eyes watered. It was the perfect opportunity to blurt out that’s what she said, and she was impressed with his restraint.

  “My partner has a thing for big swords. He’s quite an aficionado of King Arthur,” Sidney said.

  “I wouldn’t say aficionado. It was more of a phase back in high school, really.” Williams scratched the back of his neck as a deep red tinge crept up from his collar into his ears.

  “It’s not a phase if you know the original word for the sword. What was it? Calla-what?”

  “CAL-ED-VOL-HA.” He reminded her.

  “Yeah, that,” Sidney said. “Caledfwlch.”

  The sword jerked from its place on the wall, bounced on the mantel, and fell at Sidney’s feet with a loud clang.

  Argus, Malcolm, and Tyran all stared.

  Sidney didn’t dare move an inch.

  Dimitrius leaned over slowly to retrieve the weapon. She didn’t quite see the moment his hand made contact with the hilt, but she felt it, the very same as if he’d touched her instead.

  It was amazing how the steel came to life in his hand. The way man and weapon responded to each other captivated her. Dimitrius’ shoulders lowered slightly, his body loosened. He relaxed. It looked as natural as if it was an extension of his own arm, the same as she had felt down in the morgue.

  He placed the sword in the middle of the table. It gathered up the light in the room, but instead of devouring it as the demon had, the sword reflected the light in a soft glow. A wave of dizziness overcame her as the pieces of the puzzle fell into place. Sidney reached out and grabbed onto Mitch to keep her balance. It was only a moment before everything cleared again. She wondered if she’d even felt it at all.

  “How did you know?” Dimitrius asked.

  “We didn’t,” she said. “It was a wild guess. It just made sense.”

  “You mean, it’s true?” Williams asked.

  Dimitrius gave a slow and regal bow from the waist.

  Sidney shivered as goosebumps rose on her arms.

  “I’m still not exactly clear on how everything adds up,” she said. “Was Sulis the Lady of the Lake?”

  “She was the inspiration, yes,” Dimitrius said.

  “And the sword?”

  “Was given to me as a gift when she tasked us with destroying the werewolves.”

  “You didn’t pull it from a stone?”

  Dimitrius gave a slow blink and shook his head. “Dramatic license. Over the centuries the story has evolved in numerous directions as people have added their own take on it. The truth is much simpler, and I’m afraid it might be a little disappointing compared to the legends. Some of the tales are based on rumors I started myself to explain away our longevity and regenerative capabilities.”

  “Disappearing to Avalon, to heal after the fight with Mordred,” Williams said. “You were just healing?”

  “There were many liberties taken with that story, but yes. That was the idea,” Dimitrius said.

  “And they never found your bones in that grave in Glastonbury, because you still need them. Obviously.” Williams’ ears lit up even brighter.

  “It was a great deal easier when stories were passed by word of mouth. Before gossip magazines, and paparazzi. Before the invention of internet search engines, where anyone could do a background check or verify someone’s identity with a few simple clicks,” Tyran added. “People were ready and willing to believe back then. Tales of magic and supernatural valor were not dismissed off-hand the way they are in this age and time.”

  “What about Merlin? Was he real?” Williams held up crossed fingers. “Please say, yes.”

  Dimitrius smiled a little. “A great many Merlins have descended from Sulis.”

  “Guinevere?” Sidney asked.

  “That was not her true name. But, yes, she was the First Daughter of Sulis.” Dimitrius moved to the table and motioned to the chairs.

  They all took a seat. She thought Williams might actually jump out of his skin.

  “This table is round. This is the Round Table. I’m sitting at the Round Table with King freakin’ Arthur,” he mumbled under his breath. “Is this heaven? Did I get eaten by the shifter zombie and go to heaven? I think I’m dead. I have to be dead because this is heaven.”

  “You’re not dead,” Sidney said. “Be cool.”

  “Okay.” Williams swallowed hard.

  “Hold on just a minute here. Is this for real, or are y’all just yanking the new guy’s chain? King Arthur. Seriously?” Banks asked. He looked a little pale, wilted even. Sidney felt a tinge of g
uilt for talking him into the ritual despite his protests.

  “Indeed.”

  “And Lake here is the Lady of the Lake. Go figure. That where your name came from?”

  “A poetic coincidence,” Dimitrius said.

  “Well, that makes a hell of a lot more sense. I mean, with the level of power we had going on down in that room, no wonder we woke that guy up.”

  “Ms. Lake is quite a bit more powerful than she knows.” Dimitrius smiled a little, like there was another secret he was keeping.

  “Aye,” Malcolm raised his mug. His brother grumbled and gnawed on the turkey bone. Tyran’s bright eyes fixed on her like he was waiting for something fun to happen.

  Sidney shook her head. “I’m not powerful. I’ve been lucky. That’s all.”

  “This weapon is imbued with the same power that runs in your veins. You can control it in a way no one else can.” Dimitrius motioned toward the middle of the table. “Call the sword.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “Call it.”

  Sidney sighed.

  “Say its name,” Dimitrius insisted. “Caledfwlch.”

  “This is stupid.” Sidney crossed her arms. “Caledfwlch.”

  The hilt of the sword rose up and the weapon balanced perfectly on its sharpened tip. The electric lights in the room dimmed in comparison to the radiant gleam from the steel.

  Sidney jumped up so fast, her chair toppled over.

  The sword fell with a clatter.

  Seven pairs of stunned eyes focused on Sidney, but it was Mitch’s look that was the worst. When she locked eyes with him, she could read the darkness plainly written across his face. The visible weight of dread pulled down the corners of his mouth. It was the look she never wanted to see directed at her.

  Fear.

  He seemed to realize it, because he rearranged his features, but not fast enough.

  Sidney went for the door.

  “Wait,” Mitch called after her, but she didn’t stop. He was on her heels as she stormed down the hallway. “Sidney, wait.”

  She swatted him away. “Don’t touch me.”

  “Stop!” He grabbed her, wrapped his arms around her whole body, trapping her own arms against her sides.

  “Let go.”

  “No,” he said, gently.

  “You’re afraid of me.” She sagged against him.

  “Not even close.” He squeezed her even tighter. “I’m afraid of what this means for you.”

  She stopped struggling as she considered his words.

  “You’re powerful, Sidney. You just proved it. What scares me is that someone out there knows that now and they’re after you.” He tucked his face against her neck, as he spoke softly into her ear. “What scares me is that I might not be around much longer to protect you. Even worse? You might need protecting from me.”

  Sidney wrapped her arms around his neck and shook her head against him. “Don’t say that. Don’t.”

  Even as she said the words, she could feel that the level of heat radiating from his skin had grown exponentially. His breath fluttered the hair at her ear.

  “At some point we have to be honest about this.” He pulled back so he could see her eyes. “Remember what you told me in the car? After you were bitten. Remember what you said?”

  “I was scared. I didn’t mean it.”

  “You did mean it. And I meant what I said, too. I could never destroy you. But, if the time comes, Sid. I need you to be stronger than I am. I need it to be you.”

  Sidney slapped him hard across his face.

  “Don’t you dare fucking talk to me like you’ve already given up.”

  His surprise faded, and a new sort of resolve steeled itself in his gray eyes as the outline of her hand turned red on his jaw. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

  “No. I’m sorry.” She blew out a heavy breath, then stood on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. “You’re all I have, you know? It scares me when you talk like that.”

  “What about Dimitrius?”

  Her forehead creased. “What about him?”

  “You have him, too.”

  “Are you kidding? He’s basically a stranger. He might talk about ancient goddesses, and bonds, and swords, but he doesn’t have the history with me that you do.” She reached up and ran her hand over the top of his bald head, but it felt different. A soft layer of peach fuzz covered the smooth surface she was so familiar with. She dropped her hand away and bit her lower lip.

  “What is it?”

  “Nothing. It’s fine.” She gave him a small smile, then kissed him.

  His wide strong shoulders shuddered under her hands. He tore his lips from hers and she caught a glimpse of his grey eyes for a split second. In that moment, she understood everything as if it was happening in slow motion. They both knew the truth. They both knew, in order to protect each other, they’d play out the lie that everything was fine until it either got back to normal or it went horribly wrong.

  “Forget King Arthur.” Her lips brushed across the scruff at his jaw. “We’ll have our own Camelot.”

  Mitch bent over double, resting his forehead on her shoulder, leaning his weight almost entirely on her. Sidney staggered back a step, but caught herself and held him up. He groaned in her ear, a strangled cry that was frighteningly similar to the sound that had reverberated against the tiles in the morgue downstairs.

  “Not yet,” he groaned.

  “It’s okay. You’re okay.” Sidney eased him over to the wall. “It’s fine.”

  She leaned him up against the wall and he slid to the floor. His head hung forward, loose on his neck. She lifted his face, but his eyes were closed, jaw slack.

  “Mitch?” She shook him. “Mitch? Somebody help! Help!”

  Thirty-Three

  Dimitrius appeared first, followed immediately by Williams and Banks. Tyran and the brothers came into the hall, but kept a distance.

  “He just collapsed.” Sidney felt of his forehead again as Banks kneeled beside her. “He’s burning up.”

  Banks took Mitch’s wrist between his fingers and stared at his watch. “Heart rate is elevated. We need to get him comfortable.”

  “How can I help?” Williams asked.

  Dimitrius stared at Mitch for a few heartbeats before he worked himself into action.

  “Wait with Ms. Lake,” he said, and motioned Argus and Malcolm over. “We’ll take him to the blue room.”

  Sidney stood and stepped back to give them space. Mitch’s head dropped forward as they hefted him up. The tips of his shoes dragged across the carpet between them as they carried him away. A wave of nausea washed over her, and she turned her back so she wouldn’t have to see any more.

  Everyone disappeared through a door toward the other end of the hall, leaving her alone with her partner.

  “Don’t look at me like that, Williams.”

  “Like what?”

  “Like I just ran over your fluffy new puppy with a lawn mower.”

  “Are you going to tell me what happened or stand there and say everything’s fine like you always do?”

  “One of those things bit him. He came into my apartment to save me and one of those fucking monsters bit him! This is all my fault. Is that what you want to hear? He’s going to turn into one of those things because of me.”

  “You could have told me. I thought we were partners. I thought we didn’t keep secrets.”

  “It’s not like that.” Sidney shook her head. “The teeth barely broke the skin. I thought maybe he’d be okay and you wouldn’t even have to know anything happened.”

  “Yeah? And what about how you guys are sleeping together?”

  “Megan told you?”

  “She didn’t have to.”

  “We were trying to be professional.” Sidney frowned. “Why are we even talking about my love life right now? The chief is unconscious.”

  “Because you’ve been living a big fat lie. How am I supposed to trust you now?”

  The words st
ung hard. Sidney squeezed her eyes shut, but not fast enough to stop the tear that escaped down her face.

  “I thought we were doing the right thing, trying to keep the job separate. I didn’t think it would matter that much.”

  “It mattered enough to tell Megan.”

  She wiped her face with the back of her hand and nodded. “I’m sorry. Really.”

  “What else are you hiding?” He blew out a long breath and shrugged. “Are you some kind of magical unicorn that farts rainbows and butterflies?”

  She couldn’t help but laugh through her tears.

  “Get in here, Lake.” He grabbed her and wrapped his arms around her, thumping her hard on the back. “Hug it out.”

  She leaned into him. “What if he’s not fine?”

  “Ugh, do you seriously like him like that?” Williams stepped back. “I mean like like?”

  “If this was middle school, we’d be asking friends to switch so we could be lab partners.”

  “Intense.” Williams scrunched up his nose. “But… he’s all old.”

  Sidney shrugged. “Not compared to King Arthur.”

  “Yeah, okay good point.” He leaned in closer and lowered his voice. “Hey, can you do that thing with the sword again?”

  She flipped him off.

  “Oh, look. Here comes your BFF.”

  Sidney turned to see Renny following on the assistant’s perfectly polished Louboutin heels like he was a garden gnome who’d been tossed into someone else’s yard.

  “Hey, Renny.” She tried for cheerful, but didn’t quite make it.

  “What in world is going on? The darkness is very angry.”

  “What do you mean?” Sidney asked.

  The man’s whole body flinched in his tracksuit. “Is somewhere we can talk? Maybe find more Irish coffee?”

  She threw a glance to Dimitrius’ assistant, who was standing discreetly off to the side.

  “Right this way,” she said.

  The three of them followed her past the round table into Dimitrius’ private study. As soon as the assistant shut the door, Sidney turned to their informant.