5 Darkness Falls

by Christin Lovell

“It’s healing.” He gave me a haphazard glance. He couldn’t move his face as much as he’d like yet, but I saw the hard glint in his eyes along with the slight inward dip of his brows.

  “Sorry about that. Not exactly the best ‘hello’, I know.”

  “I’m sure somewhere along the lines I deserved it.” He faced forward. His words were cut short and dry, with a rough edge. I’d hit a nerve.

  “Hi. I’m Lexi.” I offered him my hand.

  He stared at me for a long minute before he gave in and took my hand. “Derek.”

  “It’s nice to meet you.”

  He didn’t reply. He turned back to face the TV across the room.

  Guilt smacked me hard. I probably deserved his cold shoulder, but it still infuriated me. After all, he was the one who had endangered one of the people I loved. “Why did you take Kellan there?”

  “Seemed like he could handle himself.” His eyes locked with mine. “He was hell bent - with or without me.”

  I’d assumed that, but I was still trying to talk myself out of believing it. I didn’t want to think of Kellan as the impulsive vamp who would get himself killed.

  Once again, my tummy chose that ever-so-awkward moment to growl. The baby immediately followed the hollow roar of my belly with movement. I winced as it rumbled around, pressing on sensitive spots, even for a vamp.

  Derek suddenly relaxed, his face softening. “You should probably get something to eat.”

  “Yeah. Thanks.” I gave him a smile, but it wasn’t sincere; more along the lines of a disheartened whimsy.

  He sighed, his eyes traveling the room before landing back on me. “Sorry to have pissed you off.”

  “Sorry for socking you.” This time my smile was genuine. We’d reached a mutual understanding, a compromise.

  “I’ll be sticking around the area for a while if you need anything. Kellan has my number.”

  “Thanks.” I got up to go search for food.

  Vamps were everywhere it seemed. Some I recognized, some I knew well, others were merely faces in a crowd. I hated not having a retreat. I didn’t like not having a place of solitude.

  I was moving towards the kitchen when there was a knock at the door. I could have sworn they had guards checking each person before they let them inside. I glanced around; no one was making a move for the door. I took a quick look at the security monitor, but saw that Kai was running some sort of update on it. It only showed a loading bar.

  I went for the door. I unlocked it before stepping aside to open it. My body shuddered as I came face to face with a man, standing a few inches taller than me. He had a dark essence about him. The hairs on my body stood up.

  He leered, a broad grin on his face.

  Instinctively, I took a step back. I caught sight of the guards on the ground in my peripheral vision. My heart sped up; serum swarmed my mouth.

  Without warning, he sent something flying towards me, faster than a bullet. It sliced through the air, before cutting my cheek. I cried out, my hand lifting to my face as the pain spread.

  A stampede was coming up from behind me, but in a blink, he was gone. That was him; that was the one who’d been chasing me.

  “What happened?” Drexel whisked me towards him.

  Warmth. I felt liquid warmth pooling in my palm and streaming down my arm.

  Drex didn’t say anything. He immediately lifted me into his arms and carried me to the kitchen. He set me down on top of the island.

  Kai grabbed a dish towel, wetting it and coming right over to me. He reached around where my hand was plastered to my face and wiped up my forearm.

  Kellan appeared; his eyes were stricken as he took me in. “What the hell happened?” he barked. The tone in his voice was laced with accusation.

  Drex had a bag of ice and a cup of blood ready to go. Both men ignored Kellan.

  “I need you to move your hand, Leka.” Kai wrapped his hand around my wrist.

  I was afraid of how bad it was. He must have carved off a piece of my flesh with whatever he threw at me. I was certain of it. The area throbbed; a stinging ache seemed to shoot out from the wound. He’d moved so fast as if he was on vamp steroids. In what seemed like less than a nanosecond, I’d been hit. His speed and reflexes were impossible to fathom.

  Slowly, I allowed Kai to move my hand away. Cool air seemed to touch my bones.

  The guys didn’t react verbally, but they didn’t need to. Their eyes narrowed and darkened as they gawked at my face.

  Snapping out of it, Kai pressed the towel to my cheek. He glanced sideways at the cup of blood. “She needs vamp blood. She won’t heal as fast being pregnant, and she can’t afford to lose so much.”

  Why did every injury have to be so complicated for me? I was a vampeen for goodness sake. Somehow I was the exception for the healing rule. I knew I was being pessimistic, but it was maddening. I was a strong, independent vampeen. Apparently, that was except when it came to taking care of myself physically.

  “Here.” Kai bit his wrist and put it to my mouth.

  I looked to Kellan. His entire body was stiff; his lips were curled into a scowl. “Do whatever the hell you want,” he snapped, pushing through the vamps watching.

  Tears welled. It looked like our talk had done nothing. He was choosing to walk away, and it seemed like he was doing it much easier than I’d hoped.

  I accepted Kai’s offering, placing my mouth around his flesh. I closed my eyes as tears dribbled down my cheeks. His blood was like sweet honey pouring over my tongue. It slid down my throat, cooling my serum yet warming me at the same time.

  He moved the towel away briefly. “It’s working. The muscle will take a bit longer, but as long as the flesh closes, you’ll be good.” He dabbed the side of my face with the towel, as if the blood was slowing already.

  I opened my eyes, looking towards him.

  His eyes softened as he met my stare. “When he’s gone,” he stated, assuring me I wouldn’t be alone.

  I released his wrist. “Sorry.” I pushed off the island. Vamps slid out of the way as I escaped to my bedroom. I bypassed Kellan pouting on the bed with his phone and ran straight for the bathroom. I locked the door the second the serum surged into my mouth.

  I bent over, heaving out the serum and blood into the toilet. Tears kept coming. I had no control. Everything was spinning. Nothing made sense. This wasn’t how it was supposed to be.

  That was life though. It never turned out the way we planned, the way we wanted it to.

  I flushed, sobs weakening me as I climbed into the shower, clothes and all. I turned on the hot water and fell apart beneath the torrent of warmth.

  ***

  Kellan

  I stood outside the bathroom door, listening to her painful cries. I’d done that to her. I’d caused those tears. What the hell was wrong with me? I loved her. God I loved her. Yet I couldn’t help myself. I couldn’t keep my mouth shut long enough to think through the words I was about to unleash on her.

  Repeatedly, I abandoned her, and continually, he picked up the pieces. Maybe deep down I believed he was better for her. Perhaps I was subconsciously making the ultimate sacrifice because she deserved a great man, not a just decent man.

  I couldn’t face the idea of him raising my child as long as I was alive though. Maybe the prophecy would come true, but not because a single shot whistled through the air unexpectedly. I would probably see the moment as an opportunity to end it all by chance.

  I shook myself. What was I talking about? I pinched the bridge of my nose. There was something majorly wrong with me to be looking to that kind of escape.

  Kai barged into the bedroom. “What the hell was that?” he growled.

  I tried to calm myself as he moved towards me. “She decided, didn’t she?”

  “You left her no choice storming off like a pouting toddler.” He clenched his jaw, rising to his full height, gaining a smidgen over me to glare back down at me.

  “No one’s perfect.” I shrugged. I wasn�
��t going to get into it with him.

  “You know, I don’t get you. You’ve got everything I would kill to have, but you don’t appreciate it. Mark my words. One day you’re going to lose her. And it’ll only be then that you realize what she’s really worth.” He pushed past me and knocked on the bathroom door.

  I’d been staring at that door for the past ten minutes, unable to lift my hands and do what came so naturally for him.

  “Leka?”

  I wasn’t even fighting for her anymore. I’d completely given up. Where was my possessiveness? I was a jealous beast at one time…but that was back when she was my everything. Something had happened though. Somewhere along the way, I’d lost my passion.

  “Don’t make me break down the door,” Kai commanded. He glanced back at me, sneering with disgust before focusing on the door again.

  “I fucked up. I know that. I’m just not sure why or even how to make it right,” I conceded.

  “You need to figure that one out for yourself.” His voice was hard, but controlled.

  The shower turned off. I still heard her sniffle as she moved for the door. She unlocked the door and Kai plowed in. I caught of glimpse of her, but she wasn’t the strong woman that I loved. She was a broken vamp with sad, swollen eyes, a red cheek where she was still healing and sopping wet comfort clothing clinging to her skin. She had a puddle of water pooling around her; her hair was glued to her face.

  I focused on her baby bump. I was able to discern the flutter of movement beneath her skin right as Kai closed the door.

  Chapter 25

  Lexi

  I bit my tongue, trying to calm my shaking body. He just stood there, watching me. He didn’t move towards me; he didn’t try to comfort me. It was Kai doing everything, despite the fact that I wore Kellan’s ring.

  Kai wrapped one towel around my upper body and used another to wipe around my dripping sweats and the floor.

  “I’m sorry. You don’t have to do that.” I clamped down on my bottom lip. “Why is he being this way, Kai?”

  He stopped what he was doing and moved in front of me. “I don’t know, sweetie.”

  My stomach growled again as the baby continued to kick around.

  “Let’s get you into some dry clothes, and I’ll send someone out for food.”

  I blinked repeatedly as anger surged within me. “It should be him doing that, not you. It’s his baby.”

  He pursed his lips, considering me. “Why don’t you get out of these wet clothes and finish drying off while I get you some dry clothes?”

  He was changing the subject. I was exhausted though and didn’t feel like fighting him. “Alright.”

  Less than a minute later Kai handed me a batch of fresh clothes discreetly through the door.

  I stared at myself in the mirror. I was a mess. I knew life was hard. I knew relationships got tough. I’d even known that love was easy, but commitment took work. Especially now. I was ready to walk away from Kellan. He was making it easy to walk away. But as I reflected on my engagement ring, I knew I couldn’t give up so easily.

  When he gave me that ring, he gave it to me with a promise. He’d said it more than once, that I was his forever girl. Men didn’t toss those words around lightly. He had to have meant them at some point.

  I knew he was in a funk. Thinking back with the newer pieces of information I’d been given, I could see how Kellan had pulled away because he was putting too much pressure on himself to be the hero. He’d tried to go after world-class villains with supernatural powers alone. That took guts. I never doubted his courage, his bravery. It was his vampire impulses that weakened him. While many vampires argued it was their leverage over vampeens and humans, Kellan was proof that, sometimes, it backfired. Not every rapid impulse would end up in your favor, and Kellan was finally realizing that.

  Maybe I’d added to his pressure by trying to be superwoman. I could understand from a macho man perspective how intimidating that might be. No one wanted their woman to be above them on the totem pole, especially a vampire with a vampeen.

  I frowned. I hadn’t thought of it from that angle. Did Kellan subconsciously want to be the vampire above the vampeen?

  And, therein lies the problem. I didn’t know. I didn’t know because he wasn’t talking to me the way he used to. We didn’t have the intimate conversations anymore. We didn’t stay up for hours chatting in bed, giggling and enjoying each other. Half the time, I didn’t even fall asleep with him. Our schedules clashed at times with his vamp army work and plans with Craig, Kalel, Auggy and his dad. I didn’t dare demand him to choose. I wasn’t that cruel. But perhaps we needed a compromise.

  This wasn’t working. We were sliding further and further away from each other as my due date drew closer and closer. I didn’t want Kellan to observe his child’s birth from a distance. I didn’t want him to be an active father only on designated visitation days.

  I twirled my ring around my finger. I’d said yes for a reason: because I loved him, and, at the time, couldn’t picture my life without him. Neither of those had changed, but my mind was beginning to open up to the possibilities of life sans-Kellan. That’s not what I wanted; but it’s what I felt I was being forced to do.

  I sighed, feeling the tears start to build again. How did you help someone who didn’t want help though? I’d always known that you couldn’t change people, only hope to inspire them to change at best.

  I had to accept my part of the responsibility. I hadn’t made any effort to work in time for my relationship. I’d focused so much on everything else, letting go of the most important thing. My neglect was not only affecting me, it was damaging my child’s future. I would have to accept some of the blame if Kellan wasn’t there for us.

  I swallowed hard, looking at myself in the mirror. I looked deep into my eyes, seeing the resolve as it bloomed. I didn’t need Kellan to make this happen. I would change the changeable. I would take control of the only part of life I could control: myself. I couldn’t control fate, but I could control how I reacted to it. I couldn’t control my future, but I could control my efforts now which, I turn, would affect my future.

  I inhaled deeply; my chest was finally able to expand to its full potential after all this time. I was tired of crying, though, and tired of fighting; I was tired of being dependent for certain things. I was going to do something about it all. This was my time to rise. Cecilia could kiss my white butt. I wasn’t going to lose Kellan to her or lose anyone else; and my baby wasn’t going to lose its mother to her either.

  I dried off, dressing in the same comfy outfit, but in a totally different color palette. I smiled, satisfied. Kai knew me well. I couldn’t lie. It was comforting to know that he would always be my back up. It wasn’t fair to him though; I knew it was selfish on my part, but I relished all he gave me. I was afraid to admit that losing him would be almost as hard as losing Kellan probably.

  ***

  Everyone looked up at me as I entered the living room. They were all huddled around the dining room table. No one stood guard by the windows. No one roamed. They were all together, discussing something that I’d just interrupted, Kellan included.

  I pushed in beside Drex. My eyes were immediately drawn to the thin line of blood on the envelope setting on the table, and I knew it was intended for me. The note had been removed and was lying beside it. I picked it up, unfolding it. They all watched me with interest, quiet observers that unsettled me. Nerves wrestled inside my stomach, right as it growled again. Instantly, I felt my cheeks flush.

  “I sent Dramo out for food,” Kai said.

  “Thanks.”

  I focused on the letter. I gripped the paper tighter, hoping they wouldn’t notice that my hands were slightly trembling.

  He threatened my love, now I will threaten yours. The blood of your unborn abomination or his blood is all I will accept. Twenty-four hours. Meet me or I’ll open the gates of hell upon you and yours. I’m looking forward to meeting the infamous Alexa Jackson. –CR<
br />
  I pulled out the closest chair and sat down. Perspiration tickling my skin, as my heart raced. I’d just set my mind. I’d just declared that I wouldn’t lose Kellan, and my child wouldn’t lose him as well. I refused to lose my baby though. I didn’t plan this, but it was a part of me now. I felt it move and heard its heartbeat. Now it provided a constant melody that I worked to - lived to - and the rhythmic sounds soothed me to sleep.

  That settled it. I would fight, even if I had to fight alone. “Where do we meet her?”

  Someone flipped the envelope over, showing a series of numbers.

  “It’s longitude and latitude. It’s an exact point on the map,” someone else replied.

  I didn’t look at faces; I only focused on what was in front of me on the table: fate, our future.

  “This isn’t your battle, so I understand if you don’t want to go, but just know that I am.” I looked directly at Kellan, staring into his beautiful emerald eyes. “I’m not giving up. I refuse to surrender any part of my soul.”

  There was a storm of emotions brewing in his eyes, some of which I couldn’t define. I didn’t have to though. “I don’t want you to,” he stated.

  “Everyone, let’s move to the army headquarters. We’ll use their satellites to get an oversized visual of the area.” Kai placed a hand on my shoulder, letting me know that I wouldn’t be going alone.

  They began clearing out, taking their weapons with them. My home was growing colder, emptier by the second.

  “Why don’t you go with them? Cecilia will be coming right for you. You’ll need the strategic advantage.” Kai gestured for Kellan to go with the teams.

  Kellan focused on me. “Will you be okay?”

  “Will you be?” I countered, my brows drawing together.

  “I hope so.” He gave me a faint smile. “Truce?”

  “Truce.”

  “Good.” He closed in on me, capturing my lips as his hands gently rubbed my belly. Pulling away, his eyes sparkled like a chandelier. “I’ll see you soon.”

  I nodded. “Okay.”

  Kellan stopped in front of Kai. He stretched out a hand towards him. “Thanks.”

  Kai shook his hand, but held his tongue, remaining quiet. His flexing muscles and controlled expression said it all for him.