by E. J. King
I wasn’t sure if I believed him. It seemed unlikely that he would actually let me leave if I asked nicely. But I also wasn’t ready to leave yet. I needed to learn more about this secret Soul community. It had been years since I had lived a true Hunter lifestyle, but being a Hunter wasn’t something that ever left you. So those instincts were still inside me and the Hunter in me just had to know the real purpose of the Darkness.
“Fine. I won’t have shifty eyes in public. Can we go now?” I said.
“Follow me.” William led the way out of the house.
Despite the completely open feel of the glass home, it was nice to breathe in fresh air. Purple light drifted down from above, casting the world around us in a mythical glow. We crossed the glass walkway to the shore in silence. It wasn’t until we entered the woods that William spoke.
“The Blackwood clan surrounds this entire area along the shore. The beach stretches for about half a mile around the Darkness.” His tone was perfunctory, like a professor imparting facts upon a student. “This area will be safest for you in your time with us. The clan will protect you from any potential threat.”
“What about the two other clans?” I had committed everything Daniel had told me about the Darkness into my memory. I was sure that the information would be useful at some point.
“The Wellington clan is located on the west side of the forest.” He pointed to an area to the right of the beach. “On the other side of the Capitol, the Kingston clan has set up their community in the mountains.”
“Mountains? Beaches? Where exactly is this place on a map?” I knew that some magic was in play, but no dark magic that I had ever heard of could completely change geography.
William was amused. “Generally, we’re in the pacific northwest of the United States. But you will never find the Darkness on a map.”
It made sense. I had been taken from Northern California. At least when I did decided to return home I wouldn’t have to go very far.
“Why do you call it the Darkness? Is that just to make it seem extra creepy?” I asked.
“Maybe.” William chuckled. “We have tried a couple of names over the years, but the Darkness has been the most accurate. This is a home for Dark Souls where it is eternally dark.”
“Fair enough.” I couldn’t think of a better name. “It’s not really that dark here though. Or, it isn’t right now.”
He nodded. “That’s because we can’t actually stop the sun from shining. But we are protected by the dark magic you see above us. The sun just gets filtered by the purple haze during the day, dampening the effect that it has on us.”
“Do you even need to sleep in the Darkness? I thought the only reason Souls sleep is because the sun zaps their energy during the day. That shouldn’t be a problem anymore.” Everything about the Darkness was confusing to me.
“We don’t need to sleep like humans do, but we do need to rest our bodies every so often. While the sun isn’t nearly as powerful here, it does still affect us, especially since not all of us are drinking from the vein.”
He said it so casually, like he was talking about the latest diet trend. At the same moment that I looked at him, my foot rolled over a large rock and my ankle twisted. I stumbled hard to my right and nearly crashed into William. It was “nearly” because his Vampire reflexes allowed him to turn and catch me, his hand gripping my arm.
“Careful,” was all he said.
“Sorry,” I muttered, looking down as if the ground was to blame for my clumsiness. “I’m usually more dexterous than that.”
“It’s the magic,” he explained. “In the same way that it protects the Souls, it also serves to weaken anyone that might come here looking to harm us, including Hunters.”
I wasn’t happy about that news. “Great. Surrounded by a bunch of bloodsuckers and I’m a helpless victim.”
“Your strength may be weakened, but you are not helpless and I doubt you could ever be a victim.” He was still holding onto me, but his grip had softened. “Besides, you need not worry. I will protect you if it becomes necessary.”
“You would really kill a Soul to protect a human?” I asked doubtfully.
“I would kill a thousand Souls to protect you, Grace.” William spoke with an intensity that shook me to my core. I felt myself tremble under his stare.
My immediate instinct was to tell him that I didn’t need him to protect me. But if he was right about the magic having a weakening effect on me, that might not be as true as I wished.
“Why?” I asked instead. “Why would you risk anything to help me? You’re a Dark Soul and I’m a Hunter.”
“You’re more than just a Hunter, Grace.” His hand dropped away and he started walking again. “Besides, I think you’ll find that Souls and Hunters aren’t mutually exclusive.”
I noticed that William was taking us along a different path than the one I had traveled with Daniel. We weren’t headed toward the Capitol. I asked, “Where are we going?”
William stepped aside and revealed a large clearing where a dozen Souls had formed a large circle. They all stared at us expectantly, gold eyes flashing in our direction. He turned to me and said, “I’m going to show you my world.”
CHAPTER FIVE
William
I had never allowed a human to witness the Rebel Army’s training. But then again, I had also never allowed a human to sleep peacefully in my chambers, locked away behind a door. It was clear by now that Grace was special. She was causing me to do things that went entirely against my nature.
“Good morning,” I said, addressing the men and women that stood before me. “I have a guest with me today- Grace Hardwick. She is going to watch us train.”
If anyone was surprised by my announcement, they knew better than to let it show. They had been well trained. “Let’s start with hand-to-hand.”
While the squad broke into pairs, I watching with my arms crossed over my chest. Grace stood to my right, a confused expression on her face.
“Maybe I’m missing something, but why does a group of Souls need to train for anything? Doesn’t your super speed and strength take care of it?” Her head was tilted slightly as she watched the Souls begin to spar.
“It takes care of it when you are only fighting humans. It is sometimes sufficient when fighting a Hunter. But neither of those situations is the purpose of this training.” I could tell that my answer only confused her further. “The Rebel Army hunts Souls, Grace.”
Her eyebrows knit together as she processed my words. She looked rather adorable.
“Why?” was the word she managed to blurt out.
“We don’t believe in kill humans any more than you do. Souls that kill humans only threaten our ability to exist.” I turned to her. “I know that you think all Souls are monsters and maybe you are not wrong about that. But we don’t all want to be monsters.”
Her face didn’t betray her feelings. I had no idea if she believed me. “So this Rebel Army is a bunch of Souls acting like Hunters?”
“We have two dozen members of the Army. This is just half of them. They train in groups based on experience.” I wasn’t used to talking so much. Whenever Grace was around, I felt the need to explain everything in excruciating detail. I so desperately wanted her to understand and to trust me. “We also have another two dozen Souls that act as part of the Guard.”
“What’s the Guard?” Her eyes were focused on the training taking place, but I could tell she was listening to every word I said.
“The Guard protects the Darkness from outside threats.” I knew exactly what her next question would be so I continued, “They make sure the magics continue working to shield us from not just the sun, but also from humans. We also are under constant threat from the Hunters that don’t know or don’t believe that we no longer kill.”
Grace’s face grew cold. “You kill Hunters?”
“No. Not yet,” I hurried to explain. “So far we have been able to keep this place protected and the Hunters have n
ot been able to find us.”
“But if they did, you would kill them?” Her beautiful eyes were wide and accusatory. I hated what I had to say next.
“Yes. If Hunters found the Darkness, we would be forced to stop them by any means necessary.” I hurried to add, “The whole point of the Guard to prevent that from ever becoming an issue.”
She didn’t look like she believed me and I couldn’t exactly blame her. “Aside from the Army and the Guard, how many more Souls live here?”
“Sixty three Souls live in the Darkness. We also have around thirty humans that live here as companions, and four witches.” I gestured in the direction of the mountains. “A large pack of Weres protects our northern border.”
“Weres?” At this, her mouth dropped open. “You’ve teamed up with Weres?”
“We have a mutual desire to live without killing humans. They help protect us and in return, we provide them a safe shelter.”
Grace looked away from the training and glanced around the clearing. “How big is the Darkness?”
The best way to answer her question was to show her. “Come with me. Please.”
After a brief hesitation, she nodded. “Okay. Show me your world, William.”
I had to turn around in a hurry so that she wouldn’t see the look of delight that lit my face when she said my name.
William.
Aside from my siblings, she was the only person in my world that used my real name. Everyone else referred to me as Your Majesty, Sir, or Premier.
“The terrain is rockier over here. Watch your step.” I noticed that my voice didn’t sound quite as strained and formal as it usually did. If Daniel had been there he would have said that I sounded like less of a prick for once.
“How long have you lived here?” Grace said, stumbling.
I reached out and caught her arm before she could fall. It was the second time I had touched her already that morning. Each time, it took my breath away. At least Souls didn’t actually need to breathe to stay alive. It was just a reflex of our formerly human bodies. Still, the feeling that ran through my body was electric.
“We started building out the land ten years ago. It took almost two years to get everything in place.” At this topic, I was determined not to divulge too many details. She wasn’t ready to hear the full truth yet.
The ground continued to grow more rocky and uneven so I kept my hand on Grace’s arm. She didn’t seem to mind and even leaned closer to me.
“Daniel told me that you have more siblings. Where are the two that I haven’t met?” The steep climb was causing her to sound winded.
“Kathryn is here, somewhere. She is always busy with a new project. I am sure you will meet her sooner or later. My youngest brother, Alexander, has been on a hunt for the last three nights.” I sensed the magic in the air crackling heavier around us and knew that we were close.
“Are you the oldest?” she asked, stumbling again and bumping against me.
I shook my head and grit my teeth. It was hard to focus when she was touching me. She was so close that I could inhale her scent, floral and intoxicating. “No. Daniel is the oldest. Then Drake and then me.”
“It must be nice to have so many siblings,” she said. “Are you all close?”
“We share a house,” I reminded her, avoiding actually answering her question. “It’s just on the other side of these trees.”
We were on level ground now, so I reluctantly let go of her arm. I stepped around a large tree and revealed a forty-foot lighthouse piercing the sky.
“Whoa,” Grace gasped as she looked up. “Impressive.”
“There are five of these around the Darkness. Each one is strategically placed and holds the magic that protects us.” I pointed to the purple light radiating from inside. “Come on. We’re going to the top.”
“We are?” She looked at me doubtfully.
Her beautiful face was tinged with anxiety and I felt my heart flutter. What was this human girl doing to me?
“Don’t worry,” I said confidently, “I won’t let you fall.”
She didn’t look convinced, but she followed me inside. We wound our way upward, climbing into the sky. I could have moved much faster, but her human legs didn’t move as fast as mine. By the time we reached the top, her cheeks were flushed and she was panting slightly.
“The view better be worth it,” she said, sneaking a peek over my shoulder.
My eyes were focused only on her. “More than worth it.”
Her eyes darted back to my face and her mouth opened in a small circle of surprise. She clearly suspected that there had been innuendo in my words.
“Come,” I said before she could press me on it. When I stepped out onto the small ledge, the entire expanse of the Darkness stretched before us.
Grace hesitated inside and seemed to be muttering to herself.
Reflexively, I held out my hand. She stared hard at it for several seconds, then stared into my eyes. I had no idea what she would see in them, but apparently it was satisfactory because she placed her hand in mine.
She seemed to be holding her breath as she stepped next to me. With one hand clutching mine, the other grasped my arm, just above my elbow. It took a few seconds, but the fear eventually left her face and was replaced with wonder.
“Okay, you were right. This was worth it.” She turned her head slowly to take in the full panoramic view. “For something called the Darkness, it’s really quite breathtaking.”
“This is my favorite place in the Darkness,” I confessed. It was the first time I had told anyone that. I often came up here just to get away from everyone else. Her hands were still gripping me in a tight vice. “Are you always this skittish about heights?”
“Not all of us are immortal creatures,” she said, smiling. Despite her anxiety, she was clearly enjoying our adventure.
I don’t know if it was the extra surge of magic from being so close to the source, or if it was the effect of her touching me while smiling at me so adorably, but I found myself saying, “You have a beautiful smile, Grace.”
She blinked hard at me and her lower lip dropped open an inch, as if she was inviting me to kiss her. In that moment, I wanted to do nothing else. Surprisingly, it seemed like she felt the same way because she leaned even closer to me, her eyes locked onto mine.
The purple light that was radiating from the lighthouse suddenly turned red, casting us in an ominous shade.
“What’s happening?” Grace asked, looking up without pulling away from me.
“That means we have an arrival.” I scanned the horizon until I spotted the figures in the distance. “He is back.”
She looked at me, her pretty blue eyes wide and hypnotizing. “Who?”
“My brother,” I said, not sure whether to smile and grimace. “Alexander has returned.”
CHAPTER SIX
Grace
One minute, I was staring up at William thinking about how badly I wanted to kiss him. Then everything changed and we were hurrying back down the stairs to greet William’s brother in the Capitol.
I couldn’t believe how drastically his mood had changed in such a short amount of time. During our time together that morning, his formal demeanor had faded and he had shown his true personality. He had been kind and even playful with me. Surprisingly, I had found myself enjoying our time together. Now I was hurrying behind him as he silently strode away without even looking back.
There was no help from him this time as I stumbled on the rocky ground. It wasn’t until I fell completely, nearly smacking my head on a rock, that he turned around.
“Here,” he said, reaching down. “Let me help you.”
I glared at him and stood without his help, dusting away dirt. When he offered me his hand without a word, I hesitated before taking it. I didn’t want to need his help, but there was no way I could keep up with his pace over such rough terrain.
With my hand safely secured in his, I was able to stay upright. Even after we got bac
k to the tailored path that led to the Capitol, William kept hold of my hand. I got the feeling that it was more for his benefit now than for mine. It was strange to think that I might be a source of comfort for a centuries-old Vampire. Then again, it was even stranger that just minutes earlier I had been wanting the centuries-old Vampire to kiss me.
We weren’t the only ones that were hurrying toward the Capitol. At least a dozen other Souls joined us on the path and I remembered what William had said about minding my behavior around them. I supposed the fact that I was dutifully holding his hand was going to help create the appearance that I was his companion.
For the first time, I noticed humans walking among the Souls. A petite blond girl followed behind a large Asian Soul and a curvy girl with dark curls was walking with one of the Councilmembers that I had faced the day before. Neither human made eye contact with me.
A half-dozen other Souls had gathered at the Capitol already and they all stood at attention as we approached. I was confused until I remembered that William was their leader. He demanded respect from every Soul in the Darkness. I noticed that they all eyed me careful, their eyes resting the longest on my hand, which was still clutched tightly inside William’s much larger hand.
“Conrad!” William called out to a Soul wearing a uniform of all black. He was the size of a small elephant. “Have they made it through the gate?”
“They have, sir. They should be here shortly.” Conrad’s eyes raked me over one time and then he returned his attention to William. “All five have returned unharmed.”
“That is good news.” William’s face remained stoic, but he squeezed my hand softly.
The Souls all turned to face another path, presumably hearing something with their supernatural hearing that I could not hear with my boring human ears. I didn’t have to wait long to be let in on the surprise.