Dark Starlight: Archaic Races Book One

by Hannah West

  CHAPTER 12

  I yawn and stretch out. It takes less than a second to realise I’m in a bed instead of the chair I fell asleep in. It takes another second to register the fingers flexing on my hip. Zephyr sighs behind me and nuzzles the back of my neck. Desire pings through my insides, chased swiftly by a heavy dose of panic. I tamp both emotions down and carefully pry Zephyr’s fingers from my hip. Halfway through rolling from his embrace, he clamps his hand back on my hip and drags me snug against him.

  ‘Mine,’ he mumbles against my neck.

  ‘No,’ I tell him and try to pull free.

  But he won’t let go. His grip tightens and his arousal presses against me. Fear wells in my middle and my darkness lashes out. Zephyr hisses, letting go, and I scramble away from him. He’s lying on my dress and it tears at the shoulder when I try to tug it free. I fall from the bed in a heap and push to my feet, spinning to face him as he sits up. Zephyr blinks, a dazed expression on his face. He flexes his fingers, where my darkness attacked him.

  ‘What happened?’ he mumbles then looks at me.

  I hold the torn part of my dress to maintain my modesty. ‘You tried-’ I swallow bile from my throat. ‘You forced yourself on me.’

  ‘I did not!’ he denies.

  ‘You were groping me,’ I argue. ‘You wouldn’t let go when I said no, and you ripped my dress.’

  He studies the torn fabric. ‘I was sleeping. I didn’t know what I was doing and I’d never-’ he shakes his head and moves toward me.

  I jump back, nearly falling over myself to get away. ‘Stop!’

  Zephyr’s expression turns pained. ‘I’m sorry.’

  I know he wasn’t conscious and, to be fair, if he felt half the lust I felt for him then I can’t blame his subconscious for trying to relieve the ache. Heck, he’s the hottest guy I’ve ever met and my girl bits melt just being around him. But I can’t get my head around the fact he’d force me, nor can I trust him. One moment he’s assuring me he’ll never force me, the next he’s agreeing with Alissa that there’ll be sex after the ceremony.

  ‘Just don’t come near me,’ I say and glance at my shoulder. ‘I need to fix my dress.’

  Zephyr nods, respecting my wishes for him to keep away. ‘I can fix it,’ he tells me. ‘But I need to touch the fabric.’

  I glance between him and my dress. ‘I just need a minute alone.’

  ‘I’d never force you, Primrose,’ he whispers.

  ‘But Alissa said-’

  He snarls that vicious sound and I flinch away. ‘So my mother is the cause for the change in you?’

  ‘What chan-’

  ‘We made progress in the woods this afternoon,’ he cuts in. ‘You smiled and it was real, not the false smiles you’ve been wearing since you arrived in my home.’

  ‘What do you want from me, Zephyr? Your mum basically outlined how you’ll rape me after the Bonding Ceremony, and you didn’t correct her. How the hell am I supposed to react to that?’

  He shakes his head, violet eyes imploring. ‘It’s just a tradition to consummate the joining of light with the joining of flesh. I told you I’ll never force you and you must trust that I won’t.’

  I repress a snort. Trust? The guy kidnapped me a few days ago and he expects me to trust him?

  ‘And you must trust me to choose you,’ I answer.

  ‘Primrose-’ he starts but I cut him off.

  ‘You can’t do it, can you?’

  ‘I need you!’

  ‘I’m a means to an end,’ I snap. ‘How romantic.’

  ‘You’re more than that,’ he roars, the whites of his eyes bleeding to purple.

  I stare at him and he stares back, before flashing away in a blaze of amethyst light.

  I stare at the spot on the bed where he was sitting, knowing I probably have minutes before he comes back. I can’t tell if my heart is aching for him or the future we’ll never have. I wipe a tear from my face and go to the mirror, pressing my palm against the glass. A doorway opens to the room from earlier and I don’t hesitate to push through.

  I frown into what looks like a girl’s bedroom. The scent of ocean hits me and I breathe deep, studying the pink décor. The colour makes my eyes ache, so I shut them to focus on my darkness. When I open my eyes an orb of black light forms in my palm. I wait for the doorway to fade then grip the essence orb and throw it at the mirror. It shatters on impact, destroying the exit mirror and stopping Zephyr from following me through.

  Pain fills my chest at the shards of glass on the carpet. Tears blur my vision and I stifle a sob. The relief of being free is sharp but regret fills me. I scrub at my tears and turn away. I’m guessing Zephyr will sense I’m not near and come looking. It won’t take a genius to figure out where I’ve gone and I need another mirror before he tracks me down. I reach the bedroom doorway, but a large male steps into my path, carrying a dark-haired girl. We all freeze and stare at each other. It’s difficult to look away from the girl. Her skin glows with silvery light, calling to the creature in my middle.

  ‘You’re fae,’ she murmurs, breaking the spell her light has cast over me.

  I follow the direction of her gaze, to where the rip in my dress reveals part of my wing marking. I snatch the fabric up and press it over the design.

  ‘Where am I?’ I ask, eyeing what looks like a doorway to an en-suite bathroom.

  ‘You’re in the Realm of Man,’ she answers.

  She motions for the big male to put her down, and he does so with care. She frowns when he moves in front of her, almost blocking her from view. The girl sighs and pushes around him, ignoring his growl of annoyance.

  ‘Are you well?’ she asks, glancing at my torn dress.

  ‘Just peachy,’ I mutter.

  ‘You’re British,’ the big male says.

  My gaze jumps to his when I hear his accent. ‘You’re American! I’m in the States?’

  And without my passport! Hysterical laughter bubbles up my throat but I swallow it down. My days just keep get weirder.

  The male raises an eyebrow at me. ‘You’re in my home,’ he drawls.

  Whoops. ‘Yes, sorry about that,’ I say hoping he doesn’t notice the broken mirror. ‘It was the last place Zeph-’ I clamp my mouth shut before I give myself away. Zephyr came here for a reason, so these people might know him. ‘This is the only place the mirror would take me,’ I explain.

  ‘Do you need help?’ the girl asks.

  I slide her a sideways glance, trying not to look directly at her in case she hypnotises me with her silvery light again. It’s obvious she isn’t human. If you discount the light, this female sits right at the top of the beauty scale, which to me screams non-human. She has jet hair and navy eyes, offset by the gleam of her pearly skin.

  ‘I don’t recognise your accent,’ I tell her.

  ‘I’m from Lantis,’ she answers.

  I shake my head. ‘Sorry, no idea where that is.’

  She tilts her head, seeming surprised by my answer. ‘I am mer,’ she offers.

  ‘You’ve lost me.’

  ‘She’s a mermaid,’ the male sighs.

  I feel my eyes go wide. ‘Oh.’

  My brain starts to ache, as it tries to reject this new turn in events. Mermaids are real? I eye the wardrobe, expecting a lion and witch to stroll out.

  ‘How is it a fae knows not of my kind?’ the girl asks.

  I slide another glance at the other door. If it does lead to a bathroom there’s a good chance of a mirror being in there. But I’m making assumptions. From this room alone I can tell this is a nice house. It might just be a walk-in wardrobe. I glance behind me at the broken mirror, a sense of urgency trickling down my spine.

  ‘I have to go,’ I murmur then look at the male. ‘I’m sorry about your mirror. I’ll send you money for the damage when I get back to-’ I cut my sentence short, not wanting to reveal where I’m heading. ‘Once I reach where I’m going.’

  ‘You do need help,’ the girl declares, concern sta
ining her tone.

  I open my mouth to deny it, but gasp when the mark on my wrist fizzes to life. What the hell? I pull my sleeve back to find the Mating Mark burning bright. It’s always glowed against my skin, but now it’s filling the room with amethyst light.

  ‘Oh hell,’ I breathe and yank the sleeve back into place. ‘I’ve really got to go,’ I say, darting another gaze around the room, as the feeling hits me.

  Zephyr.

  I feel his presence prickle over my skin. My heart starts racing and the air grows thick with his scent. I dart across the room and through the other door, slamming it behind me. Sliding the little lock into place doesn’t make me feel better. Doors mean nothing to fae and I know I’ve got to get the hell out of dodge before Zephyr finds me.

  I was right about this room being a bathroom, but the only mirror in here is the one over the sink. I eye the frame, wondering if I’ll get my backside through it.

  ‘Primrose!’ Zephyr shouts from the bedroom. ‘Where is she? Where’s my mate?’

  ‘Zephyr, what’s going on?’ the girl demands.

  ‘I smell her in here and your mirror is broken,’ Zephyr snarls. ‘You can’t hide her from me, Nima!’

  ‘You mean the blonde with dark eyes and a ripped dress?’ the male cuts in, tone accusing.

  I stare at the door for one more second then haul myself onto the sink and press my palm to the mirror. Home is the first place I think of and my bedroom appears beyond the glass. I push through the doorway, panicking for just a second when my hips snag on the frame. I grip the edge of the mirror on my side for leverage and push. I fall onto my bedroom carpet with a thump then scramble over to my desk in the corner. I snatch the paperweight Drew brought me back from his trip to Great Yarmouth and throw it at the mirror. The glass explodes under the impact, raining glass over the carpet.

  I look around, thinking of my next move. I can’t stay here. Breaking the mirror will stop Zephyr from opening a doorway to it, but he knows where I live, and I get the feeling he doesn’t need a mirror to get here.

  I glance at my ruined dress and my brain fires into action. I pull the gown off and tug on some of my own clothes. Calm washes over me at the familiarity of wearing my own clothes, and being in my own home. I pull on my favourite boots then hurry downstairs. It takes a second to locate my mobile phone. I frown at the dead battery and reach for the landline, thanking God that I know Drew’s number by heart. I look at the clock on the wall. It’s the middle of the day and I hope he hasn’t switched his phone off while he’s in class.

  ‘Primrose?’ he answers after only one ring.

  ‘Drew I-’

  ‘Where the hell have you been?’ he cuts in. ‘I’ve been freaking out over you just disappearing and now you’re ringing me from your house phone?’

  I cringe at the worry in his voice but what the hell can I tell him? ‘I’m sorry, but the last two days have been-’

  ‘Two days?’ he snaps. ‘Prim, you’ve been AWOL for nearly a week! Where the hell have you been?’

  ‘Wait, a week?’

  ‘David and Katherine are going crazy,’ he answers. ‘They think you’ve taken a long walk off a short cliff because of your mum.’

  I hear Drew talking but I’m stuck on the fact I’ve been gone for a week. I wondered after visiting Aric how the whole night had passed at home when I’d only spent an hour with my father. Time moves differently in this realm compared to the fae ones. I’ve spent two days in Faerie and nearly a week has passed in the Realm of Man.

  ‘Primrose!’ Drew’s panicked tone pulls me from my musings. ‘Are you still there?’

  ‘A week,’ I whisper.

  ‘Thank God,’ he declares. ‘What the hell is going on, Prim?’ he pants.

  ‘Why do you sound breathless?’

  ‘I came home when you went missing,’ he says. ‘I’m running through the village, on the way to you.’

  ‘No!’ I blurt, worried for Drew. ‘Don’t come here, I’ll come to you.’

  He’s quiet for a moment, except for his laboured breathing. I hold my breath, praying he’ll listen.

  ‘I’m on the corner by the post box,’ he answers.

  ‘Give me five minutes,’ I tell him.

  ‘I’m giving you two,’ he counters. ‘Then I’m coming to get you.’

  I jam the phone back into its cradle and scribble a note to Katherine. I tell her I’ve gone travelling for a few weeks and promise to text her, so she won’t worry. I prop the note on the counter and run from the house, not bothering to lock the door. I took Katherine’s key and need her to see the note.

  I reach the end of the road then suck in a breath when I feel him.

  Zephyr.

  I up my pace, skidding around the corner onto the main road that dissects the village. The village square comes into view half a minute later and I see Drew’s burly frame leaning against the post box. He straightens when he sees me, and steps off the kerb.

  My steps falter when Zephyr shouts my name. I glance over my shoulder to see him sprinting after me. I realise there are too many witnesses for him to teleport to get to me, and I give him the one finger salute. He didn’t know what it meant last time, but from the look on his face I think he gets it now.

  The relief bleeds from Drew’s face as I near him, his pace to meet me increasing. He must see the panic in my expression and doesn’t resist when I snag his hand and keep on running.

  He glances over his shoulder at Zephyr. ‘Who the hell is that?’

  I glance back. Zephyr is gaining on us because Drew is too slow. I’m faster since my fae side was woken, and Zephyr is even faster than me. My head start gave me an advantage, but I’m slowing my pace for Drew.

  ‘We’re royally screwed if he catches us,’ I say.

  ‘What is he, an Olympic medallist?’ Drew pants. ‘And when the hell did you get so fast?’

  Drew looks tired already and I’m not even breathless. My heart is racing, but I feel like I can keep going for a while. But sweat coats Drew’s face and he’s panting hard.

  ‘He’s more than that,’ I answer and tug Drew into a sharp left, into the churchyard.

  ‘There’s no way we’ll outrun this guy, Prim,’ Drew says and looks over his shoulder. ‘I can probably take him if we-’

  ‘No you can’t,’ I cut in, meeting his gaze.

  He must see something in my glare because he asks, ‘Then where the heck are we going?’

  ‘Dragon Pond,’ I answer, tugging him between the last few trees in the churchyard then under Saint Mary’s Gate.

  The large pond comes into view at the bottom of the hill and I pull Drew down it at a dead run. For a moment it feels like my legs are moving too fast for my body, and I worry we’ll fall. But Drew squeezes my hand and steadies my gait, like he knows what I’m thinking. I suppose that’s what happens when you know someone for as long as we’ve known each other. We used to run down this hill as children, to go play by the Dragon Pond. It gets its name for all the dragonflies that can be found here during the summer.

  ‘Primrose!’ Zephyr roars as we reach the bottom of the hill.

  I refuse to look back, forcing Drew to run a little faster. Zephyr is so close it makes the hair prickle on the back of my neck.

  ‘Prim,’ Drew pants as we near the water.

  His eyes grow wide when I don’t slow our pace.

  ‘We’re jumping,’ I tell him.

  ‘What?’

  ‘Don’t stop!’ I snap when he hesitates. His gaze meets mine. ‘Just trust me.’

  ‘Okay,’ he pants.

  I squeeze his hand in mine. ‘And don’t let go of my hand.’

  Drew nods and ups his pace a little more to meet mine, even though I know it must hurt. We reach the edge of the pond and jump from the grassy edge. I grip his hand a little tighter and think of Aric’s room in the Dark Realm. Zephyr shouts my name, and instead of sounding angry he sounds scared. But scared of what? Of me hurting myself? Of losing me? I remind myself I
’m just a means to an end for him.

  You’re more than that.

  More.

  In a sick way Zephyr woke me from a cycle of grief. He pulled me from my funk and permeated my life with feelings I didn’t know existed. There could’ve been so much more, but what is more without trust and respect?

  Without love?

  I don’t want to be someone’s solution to a problem. I want it all.

  I land on my back in Aric’s chamber then groan and push up to look at the mirrored wall. It shivers, the image of the sky above the pond disappearing until I’m staring at my dishevelled reflection. I lift my hand to create an essence orb and destroy the mirror, but the mirror shivers and turns into a wall before I get chance.

  Okay then.

  ‘That did just happen?’ Drew coughs beside me.

  ‘You’ll have to be more specific,’ I mutter, dissipating the orb.

  ‘We just jumped into the Dragon Pond and ended up here, right?’

  ‘Yep,’ I answer, bracing myself for him to freak out.

  ‘How?’ he asks, the picture of calm.

  ‘I opened a doorway,’ I say, still waiting for him to freak.

  ‘I figured that bit out by myself, Prim,’ he drawls. ‘I want to know how.’

  ‘Well, I’m sort of, maybe, half fae.’

  Drew quirks and eyebrow. ‘What’s a fae?’

  I huff. ‘A faery, Drew; I’m half faery.’

  He stares at me. ‘You’re a little tall for a faery, aren’t you?’

  ‘Why aren’t you freaking out?’ I demand.

  ‘Do you want me to freak out?’

  ‘It’s what a normal person would do.’

  He shrugs. ‘You’re still you, aren’t you? I’ve known you all my life, Prim. You could be half zebra and I’d still love you. Besides, this isn’t the strangest thing that’s ever happened to me.’

  I stare at him in shock. ‘What’s happened to you that’s stranger than this?’

  He glances around the room. ‘Can we talk about this later, after you’ve told me what the heck is happening? Why was that guy chasing you and where have you been?’

  My eyes burn at the reminder of my predicament and I sniff back tears. Drew’s expression softens and he holds his arms open. I crawl into his lap and cry against his shoulder. I’ve wanted to tell him everything for so long, but worried he’d hate me. I’ve carried the secret of my darkness for as long as I can remember, scared people would reject me. But here Drew is, accepting me as though it’s nothing that I’m not human. It makes me wonder what secrets he has of his own.