Dark Illusions: The Beginning

by Ariana Browning

  She wanted to leave and wanted to leave now. Living under Cameron’s rule was tiresome. She didn’t want to live as his mate, and she doubted Julian would ever go against the clan law to be with her, so what was the point in wasting the effort to convince him. The last thing she wanted was to live as part of the Raaka clan. If she could disappear, it would make her life better.

  This was her one chance to leave. Cameron had the guards with him at his office. Nobody watched her. She’d convinced Cameron enough the night before, she wasn’t a flight risk for now. She had the chance she needed to leave. It could be her only chance.

  She looked out the window—watching the rain fall and reminding her too much of being captive to Vincent once—and wished things were easier. She weighed the pros and cons of leaving.

  Though a part of her enjoyed what she’d become, she didn’t enjoy feeling like a caged animal, which is how Cameron kept her: caged. Caged like a goddamn animal. She was his pet more than a friend, partner, or mate. She was sick of it and sick of him.

  Looking up at the rain streaked sky, she knew she had one chance, or it would disappear. If she didn’t leave she wouldn’t live, she’d die inside. She would either kill herself—even though she promised Julian she wouldn’t—or Cameron would kill her. The only time she was satisfied by Cameron was when he took her to bed, which was always short-lived.

  With a final glance outside, Kat grabbed her bag and headed over to the front door, placing her ear against it. She listened for any noises in the hallway and beyond.

  Nothing.

  Cracking open the door she slipped out into the hall. She made it to the lobby and passed the guard at the desk with a casual wave and smile. She told him she was on her way to Inferno and asked if he’d make sure Cameron knew. The guard nodded and smiled, never suspecting anything.

  Leaving the building, she made it as far as the street before Jake showed up. Shit, now what? She smiled and tried what she did with the guard, but he informed her he was sent to watch over her.

  “That’s fine, but I’d rather be by myself if you don’t mind.” There was no reason to flirt anymore. Their last debacle proved Jake was also denying her advances. She could try, but it would waste time and in the end, he wouldn’t give in.

  Jake shook his head. “Not likely. You know the rules. Cameron wouldn’t be happy with you leaving and if I were to let you go alone? I’d get my ass in trouble.”

  Kat shook her head. “Really, Jake. Go inside and pretend you missed me, then ask the guard where I went and come. Give me at least a few minutes alone. Please,” she pleaded.

  “As I said, no.” He closed the gap between them as though he expected her to bolt, and was making sure he was within grabbing distance.

  Kat watched him and debated her odds of taking him in a fight. She was tired and weak from the night before and hadn’t slept well.

  Cameron gave her enough blood to keep her going until he came back. He counted on her not finding another food source in the meantime. What he didn’t know was that she had a friend at a blood bank who set her up. No need to drink disgusting animals, or kill someone. She took all she needed from the blood bank when she needed it. She made sure she’d no longer be dependent on Cameron, or anyone else, a while ago.

  She knew Jake had the advantage even on her best days. It would waste time—the conversation already was. Her mind played out multiple scenarios, and the only option that factored in was to slip out the back of Inferno at this point. She rolled her eyes. “Suit yourself. Be an ass. I’ll remember this.”

  “Poor girl. Can’t seduce me, can’t plead me, whatever will she do,” he said, catching up to her with a laugh that set her nerves on edge. It took everything in her not to punch him for the hell of it. “No car?” he asked.

  She smiled. “How ‘bout you use the car and I’ll meet you there?”

  Jake grinned. “I like walking.”

  “Of course you do,” she mumbled.

  Fifty Four

  Kat entered Inferno and sat down at her normal booth.

  Julian was there. She could feel it.

  The one person she didn’t want around. Jake sat down across from her, and his phone rang. The waitress came over and Kat asked her for a beer. Jake smiled and nodded at her, approving of her choice and indicating he wanted one.

  The waitress disappeared and Jake hung up the phone. “Cameron’s on his way. Sounds annoyed.”

  Kat’s belly churned. Her time was running out, she was stuck. If she didn’t leave now, she couldn’t ever leave. Her gaze darted around the club when Jake watched a cute waitress walk by. The waitress brought the beers to the table, and Kat stared at hers. She worked hard not to cry.

  Glancing up at the mirror in the back, she felt her only chance at freedom slipping away. She was out of options. She looked at Jake. He sat there watching her, so she stayed calm and tried to focus. She let her attraction for him drift his way to fuck with his head. He turned his head away because it was working.

  “I’ll be back. Going to the ladies room.” She grabbed her bag like normal and headed toward the back. Jake grabbed her wrist when she passed by so she leaned down to whisper in his ear, “Does this mean you wanna come with?” He released her like she was poison, narrowing his eyes, and shook his head at her.

  She smiled and shrugged, making her way to the back of the club. The moment the door closed behind her, she turned and headed away from the bathrooms and toward the exit in back. She knew it wouldn’t take long for Cameron to get there—he’d make sure it didn’t take long—so she couldn’t waste one second. Especially not to say goodbye to anyone, let alone the one person who wouldn’t let her leave. But then, as they’d had the discussion many a time over, Julian and her couldn’t be together, so why bother?

  Cara passed her in the hallway and tried to say, “hi.” Kat gave her a smile, but moved on so Cara wouldn’t stop her. She didn’t like ignoring Cara, but she didn’t have a choice. Someone was headed toward the alley with a bag full of trash. She ran over and told them she’d get the door. Holding it open until they were out, she slipped out herself, and allowed the door to shut behind the both of them. They thanked her as she walked off, but she didn’t turn around.

  Kat reached into the bag she carried and grabbed her hoodie. Putting it on covered the bright shirt she wore and covered all attention she might bring upon herself when she stepped onto the sidewalk. Turning away from the club, she strolled off into the darkness, not before she noticed Cage headed into the club, so she ducked her head.

  What she didn’t notice was Cage glance her way. He stopped on the stairs when he saw the look on her face. He knew what she was doing. He watched her rushing down the dark city streets, disappearing into the night.

  Cara walked into her room as Julian walked out. “Julian. . . .” She began, but let her words die off when he noticed the look on his face.

  He already knew.

  Kat didn’t know where she’d go, or what she’d do. All she knew was she wouldn’t come back. If she took it easy, there was enough cash in her backpack to survive on her own for a while. She needed to hide, and the best way for that to happen was to do just that. Stay away from major streets, hotels, stores, anything common for her. When she told Kober she would disappear, she meant it. Not even he and his clan would find her. She’d learned well from watching everyone, him most of all.

  The pain in her grew until it was almost all-consuming when she thought about never seeing Julian or Kober again, but she couldn’t stay. She wouldn’t be subjected to Cameron’s crap anymore. She observed and learned from the best, how to avoid people finding her. She had blood to keep her going for at least a week or so, she wouldn’t need to worry about it either.

  Kat made her way across an alleyway as a bike pulled in behind her, disappearing into the darkness. She could’ve sworn she heard her name being called. She turned around and fear gripped her. The voice was familiar, but for a moment, she couldn’t place it. Harley’s
weren’t a favorite of the Raaka, but one man made a custom bike like the one deep in the shadows of the alleyway.

  Cage.

  She went to walk away, but his words stopped her. “If you don’t want him to find you, I’d suggest you get on.”

  She stalked over. “What are you talking about?”

  Cage wondered what made the girl want to run from Cameron so bad, but he already knew he couldn’t force her to go back, even to Julian. He figured he’d help her when he saw the look on her face back at the club. If he couldn’t make her come back, he’d at least help her leave. “Nobody knows I’m here, Kat. I didn’t threaten you. Cameron showed up as I got on my bike to leave. He’ll know you left. He’ll sense you’re not in the club.” He nodded toward the back of his bike and handed her a helmet. “Get on. I’ll take you outside the city limits.”

  A tear fell down Kat’s cheek. Cage just wanted to help. Nodding, she grabbed the helmet and climbed onto the back of his bike without a word.

  Once outside the city, Cage dropped her off at a park. She thanked him and handed the helmet back and Cage reached into his pocket to withdraw a handful of money, “Disappear Kat.”

  Kat took the money and nodded her thanks, knowing he wouldn’t let her refuse the offer. “Cage—” She began, voice trembling.

  “I never saw you, even if Julian asks.”

  Kat bit her lip to keep it from trembling as she thought about Julian. “Thank you.”

  Cage nodded and left her standing in the middle of the park. Kat began walking off as tears began to fall. She brushed them aside and looked up at the full moon.

  The moon would be her companion and guide.

  Her only friend now.

  Fifty Five

  Kat found a small apartment in the outskirts of Wheatland Falls. She figured it was the last place anyone would look. Their first thought would be cities that were rundown and filled with police sirens at night, gun fights during the day. They wouldn’t think to look for her in a small suburb.

  At first, she did stay in a hotel in one of those cities for some time, but knew it wasn’t safe and moved on. She left and came upon Wheatland Falls, which felt right. A nice and clean, friendly little town.

  Nobody knew what she was, but most figured she was just another divorcé. That she didn’t go out during the day and had no children. She didn’t seem to bother the other women, or they didn’t notice. She wasn’t sure which it was, but she didn’t chit-chat with them.

  She took the graveyard shift at one of the local stores and knew it contributed to why nobody asked her about going out only at night. Her job was to patrol, but the way the city was, she would be lucky if something did happen.

  The next city over, she found a friend at a local blood bank to supply her with blood. When you dealt with loads of cash, people didn’t tend to ask questions. She kept a lot of her money in a small safe hidden behind one of the stores she patrolled, in case she needed to run and couldn’t get to her apartment.

  Kat didn’t know what happened to her condo back home and didn’t care. While she patrolled at night, she found herself thinking about everyone. Whenever she heard sounds out of the ordinary on her patrols, she thought Cameron found her and she got ready to run. Plenty of random cats and rats were running about that she almost took down, but never anything major to worry over.

  It was easy to pretend she was the average girl next door too. She placed curtains in her windows to prevent people from seeing in, and bought thick plywood—she painted black—to stick behind those curtains during the day. Her apartment became a virtual cave, but nobody was the wiser. If someone happened to come by, the plywood was easy to hide, but she had no friends for that purpose. When she did use a name, it was false.

  Nobody asked questions of you when you were friendly and fit in, but kept to yourself, not causing any trouble for anyone and doing your job as was asked of you.

  Every day she went to bed, Kat thought about Julian. She kept trying to forget him, but it was as though he called to her. When she slept, she dreamt of him. She dreamt of being alone with him, and she’d wake up calling his name. The more she tried to forget, the harder it became.

  One night when she patrolled a few weeks later, she could’ve sworn she’d seen him, but when she snuck around the opposite way, nobody was there. She was sure if he was there, she would’ve found him, but then again Julian wasn’t average. He was—as she learned—more powerful than words alone could describe. If he didn’t want to be seen, he wouldn’t be seen.

  Walking back to her apartment one night, Kat found herself thinking about Julian all over again before she crossed the bridge on her way back.

  Her job was across the river from where she lived because it was much easier in case she was forced to leave. Crossing the river before the sun came up gave her time alone—not that she didn’t already have time alone, but she loved crossing the bridge at night. Watching the lights reflecting off the water from passing cars was beautiful, and she often stopped and stood there for a while. The air was crisp and clean here, and she enjoyed the walk.

  But something bothered her as she headed toward the bridge this particular night. The bridge was around one hundred feet or more long, and as she approached it, something tickled her senses.

  Someone was watching her.

  She tried to see the other side of the bridge, but the few cars that chose to pass by, blinded her. It wasn’t fear she felt, but anxiousness. Once the cars disappeared and everything quieted, Kat stopped at the edge of the bridge. A car sat parked on the other side, near the shoulder, a man stood leaning against it with his arms crossed, waiting patiently.

  Kat looked behind her and didn’t see any other cars. She could slip down below the bridge and come around behind him, but she wasn’t sure if the man was even there for her. He stood there looking off to the side, not even in her direction. He hadn’t heard her come up.

  She had to decide what her best move was. She tightened the grip on her bag and got ready to jump off the bridge. Her eyes readjusted to the darkness and it was then she realized who the car belonged to. Her heart attempted to leap from her chest.

  There standing beside his black luxury sedan was Julian . . . and he was looking right at her. Her legs carried her forward, but she wasn’t sure what to do. Walk over to him? Walk past him? Should she talk to him? Questions and ideas circulated in her head while the gap closed between them.

  She was maybe ten feet away from him when her answer became clear. Julian turned to face her and opened his arms. Tears began flowing down her cheeks. Her body was numb. Her legs carried her forward and right into his awaiting arms. She wrapped her arms around him, and he encircled her with his own. He crushed her against his body as though it’d been centuries since they’d last seen the other. No words were spoken for what seemed like an eternity. Kat held onto him for dear life, breathing him in as deep as she could. His essence wrapped around her and she clung to him.

  Julian leaned down and placed a possessive kiss atop her head, breathing her in. He tightened his grip on her. He would have her as his own, if he had to kill every Raaka man who dared to come between what the prince wanted. His mate, his Kat.

  He swore then and there to never allow her to leave. Kat was his and his alone. He felt colder than ever while she was gone. The look in her eyes when she left the club that night said everything. That she was as dead inside without him, as he was without her.

  Julian pushed her far enough away to lean down and take her mouth in his, kissing away all her fears and pain. He wrapped his hand behind her head and crushed her mouth against his, kissing her like it was the last kiss they’d share. He devoured her until he could take no more, then released her and looked deep within her eyes.

  Kat looked up into Julian’s face and her entire world filled with the peace she searched for from the beginning. Her body warmed against his, wondering how she could go on without being by his side. She hungered for him and what only he could give to
her. She buried her hands inside his jacket and clenched his shirt.

  Julian pushed the hair off her face and looked down into her beautiful face. “Never again Kat.” He growled.

  Kat looked down. “Julian I—”

  Julian took hold of her chin, kissing her with a fierce hunger. “Never again,” he threatened.

  A tear fell down her cheek as Kat looked up at him, “Okay,” she whispered, leaning her forehead against his chest. She closed her eyes and the safety he promised wrapped around her. Kat relaxed into his body, feeling the strength he possessed surround her.

  Julian wrapped his arms around her and held onto her a moment before whispering into her ear, “Let’s go.”

  Fifty Six

  Julian drove through the day and into the night. The car was custom fitted with sun blocking windows so they didn’t have to worry over being fried. Kat slept beside him on the seat, the way she ended up soon after they left Wheatland Falls. He told her it was not necessary to get her money, but she was adamant about having it, so he didn’t argue. Allowing her to get it was faster than arguing about it.

  The soft light coming through the windows lit up her sleeping face. Julian wondered how on earth he had resisted her for so long. While she slept beside him, his possessiveness came out. He wanted to protect her from all harm. He didn’t want anyone, or anything, to ever hurt her again.

  He caressed her cheek a few times while she slept, never enough to bother her, but enough to satisfy his desperate need to touch her. He tried to control the urge to stop and take her on the side of the road. Around this particular woman, he lacked the patience he was known for, despite knowing in a short while, he’d have her all to himself.