Dark Descent
Book 5 in The Vampire Hunter Series
By S.C. Reynolds
Text copyright © 2013 S.C. Reynolds
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All Rights Reserved
Table of Contents:
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 1
It was the day after the meeting with Magnus. Henry had told me he’d call, but I was anxious to make sure everything between us was normal, and I also wanted to tell him about last night. After I had gotten home, I’d paced the length of my room for most of the night, trying desperately to think my way through this situation. But I just couldn’t see how anything would ever be resolved.
It took all of my energy to wait until seven a.m. to call Henry. I didn’t know if he was playing basketball or planning to sleep in, but I might start climbing the walls – literally – if I had to wait any longer to talk to him.
I had my new secured phone from Lucas, but Henry might not answer if he didn’t recognize the number, and besides, I wanted to see Henry in person anyway. I dialed his number and willed him to pick up. Three rings, then four. I was about to hang up when he finally answered the phone.
“Why are you up so early?” he asked groggily.
Even though Henry knew almost everything now, minus the part about his father’s involvement, I hadn’t told Henry that I didn’t sleep. My former, living, breathing, self would never have been awake before noon on a Saturday.
“I couldn’t sleep. I need to talk to you,” I replied.
“I’m supposed to play basketball this morning. Can it wait?”
Is Henry trying to brush me off? Was he still feeling awkward because of our kiss last night? I couldn’t worry about that now, and as soon as he heard about Magnus, hopefully Henry would forget about the kiss and realize we had more critical issues to tackle.
“It’s important,” I pressed.
Henry didn’t immediately respond. “Okay,” he finally said. “Do you want to come over? I have to warn you, my parents are home.”
“That’s no good,” I said. Even though his house was big enough for us to have privacy to talk, I couldn’t face seeing Mr. Matthews. And I definitely didn’t want to try to talk at my house.
“How about going to Night Owl?” I asked. “It will be just like the old days.”
Night Owl was a twenty-four hour diner that served surprisingly good omelets and coffee. Of course, I couldn’t eat or drink anything, but at least it would provide a quiet place for us to talk.
“I’ll treat you to breakfast,” I offered.
“Sure.” Henry sounded more like himself now. Maybe I was just being paranoid, thinking he wanted to avoid seeing me.
“I can pick you up in ten minutes,” Henry was saying.
“See you soon.” I hung up the phone and stood up; I had been sitting, perched on the edge of my bed, a nervous ball of energy. I hadn’t even bothered to change into my pajamas after I got home last night, and even though my body couldn’t produce sweat, I still felt gross.
I took a quick shower and had just put on a black dress with a sunflower pattern when Henry texted me that he was here.
No one in the Stone family was awake yet, so I quietly turned off the house alarm and slipped out the door.
“Hey,” I said, sliding into the passenger seat next to Henry.
Henry smiled but didn’t speak. His hair was damp, as though he’d just gotten out of the shower. If he’s going to play basketball, why did he bother with a shower? Was Henry trying to impress me? Or was that just wishful thinking? Emmett had said he was in love with me, but even Emmett would readily admit that he didn’t know everything.
“So what was so urgent that we had to meet this morning?” Henry asked. “Surely nothing’s happened since we all left Lucas’ place, right?”
“Oh, only if you call meeting the former ruler of Hell ‘nothing,’” I replied.
Henry swung around to look at me. “What!” he practically screamed.
“Henry, watch out!” I exclaimed. Henry had drifted into the lane next to him. Luckily, there were very few cars on the road.
“Magnus? Wasn’t that the guy’s name?” he asked.
“Yeah,” I said grimly. “And he’s quite the character.”
I told Henry how Lucas had picked me up and we’d both gone to meet Magnus.
When I’d finished, Henry was shaking his head. “Just when you think it can’t get any stranger…” His voice trailed off.
“No kidding.” I paused. “I know you don’t have a solution for this, but I just wanted you to know,” I said honestly.
“I appreciate you keeping me in the loop,” Henry replied.
Except you have no clue that your father is helping Tobias.
“You said Lucas was going to talk to Nicholas and get his opinion,” Henry was saying. “I liked Nicholas. He seemed like a cool dude.”
“He is,” I said. And so is Lucas, if you’d ever give him a chance, I wanted to add. But I didn’t.
We pulled up outside Night Owl. I got out of the car, and, before I could think better of it, I linked arms with Henry as we walked towards the entrance. Just like the old days. When I never thought twice about touching Henry.
“So, do you feel any different?” Henry asked as we sat down in a booth in the corner of the diner.
“Meaning?” I raised my eyebrows.
“Well, you told Magnus you could kill demons. He doesn’t sound like the kind of guy – er, demon – who would be very forgiving if he found out you’d lied,” Henry said.
“I told him that before I knew his agenda,” I said morosely. “I didn’t want to appear weak. It seemed like the right thing to say at the time. But no, I don’t feel any different. I really don’t think that I have this mysterious power yet.”
“No, I understand. I’m just saying that we need to come up with a plan – soon. Or at least a way to stall Magnus,” Henry replied.
“I know he threatened to kill everyone that I care about, but I don’t think he’ll go through with it – not right away at least. He needs some type of leverage to try and control me. If he killed my family, surely he knows that I would never help him drag Tobias to Hell. Or kill Leon,” I added.
I hoped I was right. I didn’t want to worry Henry, but what was to stop Magnus from killing Henry – or Mom or Dad or Kayla – just to prove that he meant business? I gulped and tried to put the disturbing image out of my mind.
“This place is really empty,” Henry commented. I swiveled around in the booth and scanned the room. There was no one else in the diner.
“Weird,” I said. “I know it’s early, but this is the only twenty-four hour place in the neighborhood. You’d think there’d at least be a few people.”
“I don’t see any waiters here, either,” Henry said.
Henry was right. The restaurant was dead.
We looked at each other in confusion. Henry stood up. “I think we need to leave,” he said abruptly. “I’ve got a bad feeling about this. Something is wrong.”
“Yeah,” I replied nervously. “All the blinds on the windows a
re shut. Is it always like that?” The last time I’d been in Night Owl was before I had died.
“I have no idea. But let’s go. Now,” Henry said tersely.
I stood up and we scrambled towards the door.
Henry got there first. “It’s locked!” he exclaimed.
“What?” I asked in disbelief.
“See for yourself.” Henry stepped back and I tried to turn the doorknob. It wouldn’t budge.
“Maybe there’s a back door. You know, through the kitchen,” Henry said. He was already jogging towards the door on the other side of the diner, where they brought out the food once it was ready.
Just as he was about to reach it, the door swung open. And Bartholomew, with Thomas right behind him, walked into the room.
Chapter 2
“What the…?” Henry immediately starting backing up and, instinctively, I did the same.
“Well, hello to you, too,” Bartholomew sneered. He stepped into the room and folded his arms across his chest.
Thomas moved forward to stand next to his brother. He didn’t speak, but he was grinning from ear to ear. And his vampire teeth were showing.
This can’t be good.
By now, our backs were against the wall opposite from the twins, and there was nowhere else to turn.
“How can they be here?” I asked Henry desperately. Henry had told me the spell – the very first one he did – would turn the twins into confused, bumbling idiots, if they so much as even thought about us.
“I have no idea,” Henry hissed. “I guess the spell didn’t work?”
Thomas and Bartholomew were walking towards us. Neither of them spoke. There was no time to react. Thomas grabbed both of my arms and started dragging me to a table in the middle of the diner. I tried to fight him, but it was pointless. He had my arms in such a death grip that I couldn’t even move them. His sheer strength was terrifying.
Bartholomew was having a slightly tougher time with Henry, but he still managed to force him forward to the same table. We were both shoved into seats and the twins tied our arms and legs to the chairs.
I looked at Henry. He was fighting against the ropes, trying to get his arms and legs free. I could see sweat trickling down his forehead.
I didn’t struggle. I knew it was useless to try. The spell must have gone terribly wrong, and now we were going to pay for it.
“You thought you were so smart with that little spell of yours,” Bartholomew said. Henry stopped struggling and focused his attention on Bartholomew, who was still speaking. “Oh, it worked at first. But you must not have read the fine print. The spell wasn’t permanent.”
“Once we figured that out,” Thomas interjected, “we knew we had to strike before you realized the spell had worn off and did it again.”
“Such a clever warlock, but you made one fatal mistake.” Bartholomew laughed.
Henry looked confused. He doesn’t realize that’s what he’s become – a warlock.
“Anyway,” Bartholomew continued, “we’ve been following you, listening to your phone calls, waiting…” His voice trailed off.
“We almost acted yesterday,” Thomas said. “When you were sitting in the car. Funny, I didn’t realize you had a thing for him.” Thomas pointed at Henry. “No, I thought you had the hots for vampire boy.”
They saw us kissing last night. When Lucas had warned me over and over to be careful, I had stupidly dismissed him, feeling aggravated that he was lecturing me like a child. But apparently I needed the lecture; I hadn’t even noticed that I was being followed, watched.
“You know what I think?” Bartholomew asked. He walked towards me and leaned down so that his face was just a few inches from mine. “I think she’s just a big tease.” Bartholomew stood back up and crossed his arms across his chest.
“Quite the dilemma,” Thomas said. “Who to choose? The vampire or the warlock?”
I cringed. “Why did you bring us here? Surely it wasn’t to talk about my love life.”
“Don’t worry,” Thomas replied. “Soon you won’t have a choice to make.”
“What’s that mean?” I asked shrilly. “Henry, say something!”
Henry, who hadn’t uttered a word, finally spoke. “What’s there to say?” He met my gaze; I could see the sadness and defeat in his eyes.
“We can reason with them! They – they’re acting like they’re going to kill you.”
Henry shook his head. “They’ve already made up their minds. Nothing we say is going to change that. I won’t beg for my life. If I’m going to die, then I’m going to die with dignity.”
“Please,” I screamed in panic. Henry didn’t answer.
I turned my attention to the twins. “Lucas will be here any minute!” I yelled. “He’ll fucking kill you. He’s on the way now.”
“Nice try.” Thomas, who had been grinning the entire time, screwed his face up into a horrible, menacing scowl. “But don’t worry, we’ll deal with Lucas at a later time. Same for you. The protective order on your life is still in place. But we didn’t want you to miss out on the fun.”
“The owner,” I tried again. “They’ve probably already called the police.”
“The owner is dead in the kitchen,” Bartholomew said flatly. “We’re not idiots.”
“Aurora,” Henry whispered. “I’ll be fine. You’ll be fine. Without me.”
I tried to squirm in my chair, to wriggle free from the ropes binding my arms, but they didn’t budge.
“Let’s get this show on the road,” Thomas said.
“Please don’t kill him,” I begged. “I’ll do whatever you want.”
“There’s nothing you could offer that would change our minds,” Bartholomew replied. “But relax, I’m not going to kill him.”
“Huh?” Henry asked in confusion.
I felt a glimmer of hope, but it only lasted for a second. They didn’t trap us here and tie us up just to threaten us.
“No, we’re not going to kill him,” Thomas repeated Bartholomew’s words. “We’re going to turn him into one of us – a vampire.”
Chapter 3
“Why would you do that?” I screamed.
“Don’t you know about the loyalty to your maker?” Bartholomew asked.
“We could use a warlock on our side,” Thomas said before I could answer. “You’ve seen the way Lucas clings to that idiot Nicholas. He’d do anything for him.”
“I would never in a million years support you two monsters,” Henry spat out. He sounded furious.
“But you won’t have a choice,” Thomas replied. “You’ll be our brother – our blood brother.”
“I’d rather you kill me.” Henry stared defiantly at Thomas.
“And we’d rather have a loyal warlock who also happens to be a vampire,” Bartholomew said. “It will make disposing of Lucas a lot easier – and more fun.” Bartholomew looked at me and flashed a triumphant grin.
“And when the time comes,” he continued, “I feel confident you can help us take down the living dead girl as well.”
“After the protective order is removed,” Thomas added.
“You’re crazy,” Henry said. “I don’t care what you do to me, I would never hurt Aurora.” His voice was shaking – from anger or fear, I couldn’t tell.
“You’re wasting your time,” I interjected angrily. “Henry has a good heart. He will never be your brother.”
“I guess we’ll find out,” Bartholomew said. “Enough talk. It’s time.” Bartholomew’s eyes flashed, dark as night, as he leaned forward and sunk his pointy teeth into Henry’s neck.
Chapter 4
I could hear screaming, and I knew it was coming from me, but it felt like I was watching the scene from outside of my body. Am I going into shock? This isn’t really happening.
Among all of the things I worried about, Henry becoming a vampire was not one of them.
I watched, paralyzed, still screaming, as Bartholomew sucked the life out of Henry. Henry’s body was limp.
His face had gone pale, and his lips were white. He was dying, and he was about to be reborn again as a vampire – a vampire that was loyal to Bartholomew. I turned my head away, unable to watch.
Lucas isn’t coming to save you. No one is. You have to save Henry yourself.
And then, something clicked inside of me. I could feel the heat coursing through my body, getting hotter and hotter. Am I on fire? Am I burning from the inside out, like that spell I saw in Henry’s book?
I looked down at my arms and legs. Nothing. The heat wasn’t painful; it was just different. I hadn’t felt hot or cold since I became undead. It was an odd sensation. It was like I was alive again.
I jerked my arms against the ropes – one last feeble attempt to break free – and to my amazement they tore apart. My feet, which had been bound so tightly I could barely move them, also easily broke free. I stared down, dumbfounded, at my wrists and ankles, which had no marks, no sign I had been tied up.
It had been as effortless as snapping a rubber band. What the hell is happening to me?
Instinctively, I picked up the chair I’d been bound to, lifted it high over my head, and smashed it against the floor. The wood splintered and broke the chair into multiple pieces. My eyes scanned the ground, looking for what I needed.
This will do. Still not quite understanding what was happening, I grabbed a piece of wood, hoping the end was sharp enough, and lunged for Bartholomew.
I expected for it to be difficult to drive the stake into Bartholomew’s heart. I was prepared for having to try multiple times, prepared for Thomas to step in and intervene, to attempt to stop me. But it was nothing. It was like I was cutting into butter.
I’m not even sure how I knew where his heart was – I’d never paid much attention in Health class – and Bartholomew’s back was towards me as well. But that didn’t seem to matter. The stake plunged through his skin easily. Deep into his heart.
Bartholomew stumbled forwards. He turned to look at me. Blood was dripping out of his mouth. Henry’s blood?
Bartholomew started sputtering, coughing, making horrible hacking noises. The blood continued to pour from his mouth and I realized it wasn’t Henry’s blood. Bartholomew was dying.
Dark Descent (Vampire Hunter Book 5) Page 1