Darkness Shifting: Tides of Darkness Book One

by Sarah Blair

“Who’s angry, Renny?”

  “I don’t know what this is. Is not human. Fur and teeth. Very ugly.”

  “David Anderson?”

  “Yes, is him.” He bobbed his dark greasy head. “He is not happy with you. He says over and over, ‘You should have saved me.’”

  “But how?”

  “You are key.”

  Dimitrius’ assistant tapped softly on the door before entering with a tray of fresh coffee-filled mugs. She placed it gingerly on the table in front of the couch. “May I get you anything else?”

  Dimitrius came into the room, followed by everyone else except Banks. His mouth was set in a grim line, and Sidney almost asked how Mitch was doing, except she wasn’t sure she wanted the answer.

  “How’s the chief?” Williams asked.

  “Resting,” Dimitrius said.

  Sidney sank down onto the couch.

  “Rhenaeus, my friend.” Dimitrius shook Renny’s hand. “I’m glad you’re here.”

  Williams sat down next to Sidney, and cupped his hand on one side of his mouth. He whispered, “No wonder he goes by Renny.”

  One of the coffee cups jumped off the tray and dumped over on Williams’ shoe.

  “Ouch, what the—tell me you guys saw that. I swear I didn’t touch it.”

  “Old lady does not like you,” Renny said.

  “Old lady? What old lady?”

  “How should I know? You live in her house. She does not want you there.”

  “Aunt Rose?”

  “Ah, yes. Always saying you are not good enough to marry her niece.”

  “Is that who’s haunting me?”

  Renny motioned to Sidney, then back to Williams. “Did she not tell you this?”

  “You knew?” Williams gaped at her. “When will the secrets end, Lake? Seriously. I don’t even know what to do with you.”

  It was easy to tell by the tone in his voice he was barely serious, and normally she would have appreciated his attempt to lighten the mood. Normally, she would have rolled her eyes and ignored him. Normally, the chief would have been sitting next to her, using his FBI voice to keep her partner in line and direct the conversation back on track.

  Only, Mitch wasn’t there. He was lying in a bed somewhere, fighting back the monster threatening to take over his body. All Sidney could think about was the way his feet dragged across the carpet.

  She leaned in so that her nose was only inches from Williams.

  “This isn’t about you.” She gritted her teeth to keep from screaming at him.

  He swallowed hard. “Okay.”

  She stood and turned on Renny next. “What did he mean when he said I’m the key?”

  “He—he does not know.” The little man cowered.

  “How can he not know? He’s the one who said it!”

  Renny shook his head quickly. “He heard someone else say it. I see white coat. Like doctor wear. This doctor tell him you are key. He say they make him human again if he bring you to them.”

  Sidney crossed her arms over her chest, if only to hold in the frustration, anger, and fear threatening to burst forth like a dam from within her.

  “That’s everything we knew before,” she said. “Is there anything else you can see? Anything at all to go on. A name tag? Maybe a sign somewhere? A view outside a window?”

  The medium shut his eyes and swayed ever so slightly as he concentrated.

  “No name. But, there is small picture on coat pocket.” Renny opened his eyes. “I draw it.”

  Dimitrius grabbed a blank sheet of paper and a pen from the desk. Renny stuck the tip of his tongue out as he leaned over the desk and drew the image. Just when the silence was about to explode in her ears, he straightened up.

  “Here.” Renny set down the pen and held up the paper. “Is this. Snake and sword.”

  “A Caduceus?” Williams asked. “That could be any doctor.”

  Sidney buried her face in her palms.

  “It’s a common misconception, the symbol for the medical profession is a Caduceus,” Tyran spoke up. “It’s actually based on the Rod of Asclepius. A snake curled around a plain rod. It’s evolved over the years to sometimes include a cross. Maybe that’s what the sword is supposed to be?”

  Sidney lifted her face. “It’s not either of those.”

  The way Dimitrius clenched his fists at his side, she knew he was already thinking the same thing she was.

  “That’s the featured symbol of the Lake family crest,” Sidney explained. “My grandfather used it as the logo for Lake Industries. Whoever told David Anderson they could cure him was working in my grandfather’s lab.”

  Thirty-Four

  “I need a moment alone with Ms. Lake,” Dimitrius said. No one in the room moved. “Everyone leave, now.”

  The rest of the men filed out of the room leaving them alone with the quiet. They remained still for a few moments as an antique clock on the bookshelf loudly ticked away the seconds.

  “Are you all right, Ms. Lake?” he finally asked.

  “You had your tongue down my throat last night, you may as well call me Sidney.”

  At least he had the grace to lower his chin and act embarrassed. “Very well, then.”

  She sank down onto the couch as he came around the desk. Instead of taking his place in the well-worn chair, he sat beside her. They didn’t touch, but he was near enough she could feel the bond flicker to life. Only, instead of creeping across her skin from the outside, it burned from within her. It was comforting and terrifying all at the same time.

  “I really hope you didn’t know about this already.”

  “No,” he said quietly. “This was something I failed to see coming.”

  “How? I thought the whole point of your existence was to destroy the werewolves and watch over my family.”

  “I suppose . . . I allowed myself to become distracted.”

  “There’s only two of us. What could be distracting enough for you to miss something this huge?”

  It took him an extra moment to answer, “You.”

  His nearness was suddenly too much. Sidney got up and moved over to his chair. Her body molded into the perfectly worn spots as if she’d been sitting there her whole life. The second she realized it, she cursed and got up again.

  “My grandfather’s company is working on a cure for a werewolf bite. That’s just—” Sidney stood there in a daze. “If it’s true, then pretty much every single thing I’ve believed for half my life has been wrong.”

  “Ms. Lake—” Dimitrius sighed. “Sidney, please forgive me. I should have been more vigilant.”

  “It’s a little late for sorry, don’t you think? You were supposed to stop this a long time ago. None of this should have even been possible. Now the only way I can save Mitch is to go to my grandfather and ask him to give me a cure for something he spent a lot of time and money to convince me doesn’t exist.”

  Dimitrius leaned his elbows on his knees and ran his hand through his hair. It flowed through his fingers like liquid silk. Sidney could almost feel the whisper of it on her own hand, and something stirred low in her belly.

  “Don’t do that.”

  He paused with his hand on the back of his head. “Sorry.”

  “Stop apologizing,” she snapped.

  He arched a dark eyebrow.

  The way he sat there, so casual with his knees apart, and the collar of his white shirt unbuttoned and hanging open to reveal his pendant, was such a pleasant diversion. It made her want to climb on top of him and use her tongue to find out just how far down that scar on his neck went. He could be her escape, make her forget everything that was going on, at least for a little while.

  “Dammit.” She clenched her fists. “Why do you have to be so . . . distracting?”

  “This won’t get any easier now that the bond has been awakened.”

  “Wait, what?”

  He made a small noise in the back of his throat. “Downstairs, during the ritual with Dr. Banks, the bond had
the time and energy to awaken. Every other instance we connected, something has occurred to interrupt it. The salt circle might have had a significant influence as well.”

  “Why didn’t you say something?”

  “You seemed so determined the ritual should take place. I didn’t want to interfere. I’ve said before, magic is unpredictable.”

  Sidney replayed the scene in her head and realized she’d sort of taken over. Maybe Mitch was right to tell her to slow down and think first. It hadn’t even occurred to her there could be other consequences to what they’d done.

  “Awakened. What exactly does that mean?” she asked.

  “Our souls have come to recognize one another.”

  “Woah. Um, no.” Sidney shook her head. “I didn’t want this. Undo it.”

  “What’s done is done.”

  All she had to do was look at his face to know how serious he was. She also knew he wasn’t likely to kick the bucket any time in this century, which meant she’d be stuck like this for the rest of her life. “That’s just fucking great.”

  “I’m sorry, Sidney. Truly. I never meant for this to cause you unhappiness. It’s supposed to be a good thing.”

  “Well, it isn’t! I love Mitch. He’s the one I’m supposed to be with.”

  The silence he left hanging between them spoke volumes. Even as she said the words, she doubted herself. There was no question she loved Mitch, but what if they weren’t actually meant to be together? She’d always been so enamored by him in one way or another, she never stopped to wonder if it was right. But wasn’t that what true love was supposed to be? An instinct, something undefinable. It didn’t have to be right to be real.

  “Damn you.” She hugged her arms around herself. “Damn you for so many things.”

  He flinched.

  “Mitch. Damn it, what do we even tell him?”

  Dimitrius leaned back on the couch. “I do not wish to cause him any undue stress. He’s in a very precarious state right now.”

  “I can’t lie to him.”

  “Don’t. All I mean is that perhaps you shouldn’t make it a point to tell him yet. When he needs to know, he will know.” He stretched his arms out on the back of the couch. His fingertips nearly reached each end. The dip of his collar pulled apart revealing even more of his chest. It made her want to rip open the fabric like he was a gift and this was Christmas morning.

  “I mean it when I say you’re going to have to stop doing that.”

  “What?”

  “Being you.”

  He made a gruff sound in the back of his throat that did things inside of her sound should not be able to do.

  “I will so totally break your nose again.” She sighed. “The worst part about this is that it’s not even real.”

  “I’m not sure I understand.”

  “These feelings I have for you. It’s the bond. It’s magic. That’s the only reason I’m attracted to you.”

  “Is it?”

  “Of course it is.”

  He licked his lips and her knees went weak. “How did you feel when you first saw me? Before we ever touched.”

  Sidney thought back to the way the firelight illuminated his hair. The way he moved. The look in his eyes that made chills run down her spine.

  He stared at her with a hint of pain and sadness at the edge of his eyes. “That’s what’s real.”

  “Shit.” She shook her head. “It still doesn’t matter. We have to help Mitch. You do still want to help him, right?”

  “Of course I do.”

  “All right, then. How do I waltz into my grandfather’s office after six years, and ask him for a cure to something he denies exists?”

  “That is a very excellent question.”

  A few quiet taps sounded on the door.

  “Yes?” Dimitrius said.

  The door opened and his assistant took half a step inside. “Sir, Mr. Harris is awake.”

  Thirty-Five

  It was all Sidney could do to keep from tripping over Dimitrius’ assistant as she followed her downstairs. Dimitrius trailed right behind her, and Williams brought up the back. About halfway down the hall, the woman stopped and gestured to a door.

  Sidney rushed in without bothering to knock. She immediately understood why Dimitrius had called it the blue room. Everything was decorated in shades of pale blue with silver accents. Mitch sat on the edge of the bed with his shirt off while Banks checked his eyes. She stopped short when she saw the dark lines webbing out across his waist and up toward his shoulder blade.

  “I told you, I’m fine. It was nothing,” he said.

  “Losing consciousness is never nothing,” Banks said.

  Fine gray hair covered the top of Mitch’s head, making it nearly impossible to tell he was ever bald. Sidney forced herself into motion again and he turned when she came around the bed. He was younger and older all at the same time.

  “Sid, tell him it was nothing.”

  She covered her surprise with a small shrug. “I’m not telling him anything. He’s the doctor.”

  While she spoke, she pulled the blue silk duvet back and nudged him back into bed.

  “I’m fine. And I don’t need covers, it’s burning up in here.” He kicked the blankets away and tried to get up, but she pressed him back against the overstuffed pillows.

  Banks slipped out into the hall with Dimitrius and Williams. Sidney was fine staying with the chief. She could see what was happening, she didn’t need to hear how bad it was.

  “You sound like an old codger, you know that? Next thing you know you’ll be shaking your cane, yelling at the kids to get off your damn lawn.” Sidney sat on the edge of the bed so he couldn’t get up again.

  “Old codger? I’m barely middle-aged.”

  “Exactly. Which means you have half your life left, so there’s plenty of time to be grouchy later.”

  Mitch lay back on the pillow and ran his hand over his head. His gray eyes were tired and sad, faded against the rich blue shade of the pillowcase. The well-worn creases along his forehead and the edges of his eyes seemed smoother, or maybe she was just imagining it.

  “Do we have to keep this up?” He continued rubbing his head.

  “Keep what up?”

  “This charade.” He sighed and let his eyes drift shut for a moment. “I’m dying, Sidney.”

  She swallowed hard. “No, you’re not.”

  He sighed a deep breath and shook his head.

  “You’re not.” She took his hand. “You’re just . . . changing.”

  “Yeah, into one of those monsters.”

  She smiled, trying to make it look hopeful, but there wasn’t much effort behind it. “It takes more than claws and fur to make someone a monster.”

  He opened his eyes, a hint of amusement sparked somewhere in their depths. “That’s the line you’re going to throw back at me?”

  “It’s a good line. You could never be a monster any more than I could.”

  “Yeah, go ahead and say that when you wake up to a big bad wolf in your bed.”

  She swallowed hard, past the panic that image conjured up within her. “That’s not going to happen.”

  “Look at me, I’m halfway there already.”

  She ran her hand up and down his arm slowly. She’d never really appreciated before how nice it felt just to touch him. “Your hunch about Renny was right. He gave us a clue.”

  “What clue?” He sat up a little straighter.

  “The person who called me the key was wearing a lab coat with the Lake Industries logo on it.” She rolled her eyes. “The irony is, the one person who doesn’t believe in werewolves is the one who might be able to get you the cure you need.”

  Mitch frowned, then squeezed her hand. “Your grandfather?”

  Sidney nodded.

  “But, you’re not going there. Promise me you won’t go to him.”

  “What? Why not?”

  “They tried to take you! For whatever reason, they want you badly enou
gh to send six shifters after you. You’d just be handing yourself over to them. You can’t do that. Not for me, not for anyone.”

  “It’s the only way to save you.”

  “For God’s sake, Sidney. One time in your life, please do what I tell you. Stay. Here.”

  “Oh? This is the time you choose to put your foot down?” She stood up and went to the end of the bed, then turned around. “I’m Alexander Lake’s granddaughter. Do you seriously think anybody would have the balls to abduct me and run experiments on me right under his nose?”

  “Maybe. They know how powerful you are. If they think it’s worth it, there’s no telling what they might do.”

  Sidney crossed her arms. “I think I proved I can handle myself against these guys.”

  “You won’t have to handle anything if you don’t go.”

  “But—” She gritted her teeth and made a frustrated sound. “How else am I supposed to save you?”

  “It’s not your job to save me.”

  “Yes it is. It’s what people do when they love each other.”

  His forehead creased. “You love me?”

  “I do,” she whispered.

  Sidney tucked her lower lip between her teeth to keep it from trembling. She took in a few slow breaths before she spoke. “There was nothing I could do to save my parents. But if there’s any chance at all to save you and I don’t follow through with it, I’ll never forgive myself. I have to know I did everything I could.”

  Mitch dug his fingers into the duvet and grunted as a shadow of pain flickered across his face. “How do you think I feel? I have to do everything I can do to keep you safe. If you go there and anything happens to you, I’ll never forgive myself either, and I don’t have the kind of time left to make peace with that.”

  She shook her head and blinked the tears out of her eyes. “But if I get you the cure, you will have time. That’s the whole point.”

  “What makes you think there even is a cure?”

  “The shifter said there was.”

  “No. He said they could make a cure, if they had you. The key. Whatever vaccine or cure they say exists, doesn’t work. You saw what it did to that guy.” He leaned forward a little, his shoulders rose and fell heavily with each breath. “Whatever’s going on, they’re under the impression they need you to fix it. It’s not right Sidney. There’s something off about this whole thing. I don’t like it and I don’t want you to go.”