Light of Darkness

by Lonnie Davidson

  “So, how’s your morning?” she asks looking into the mirror.

  “It was fine until I noticed my door was locked.”

  She snickers. “All of the doors in the house have been sealed against demon hands. You won’t be able to open any of them,” she says, brushing and combing her hair.

  I take a seat on the toilet. “Why do this so suddenly?”

  “You’re going to a demon household today. It’s a good ability to have. Also, Serena needs to work on it herself. She didn’t jump a lot while raising you, so she’s gotten rusty.”

  “What exactly is this shadow-whatever, and can all demons do this?”

  “Shadow walking and jumping are two terms for the same thing. What happens is, you’re tearing a hole into the realm of shadows known as limbo. Then, using your energy, you slingshot yourself through limbo to your destination. It’s a simple technique, but many don’t utilize it.”

  “Why?”

  “Limbo is where spirits dwell. There have been stories about spirits latching on to travelers and haunting them, but that’s really rare.”

  “I don’t want to do this anymore.”

  She laughs. “Don’t be such a baby. You’ll be fine. Anyway, enough chitchat. Get in the shower and get ready for your date.”

  “Party.”

  “Right.” With a small puff of smoke, she’s gone.

  I do as she says and hop in. This shower is going to be the easiest thing I do all day.

  I wash quickly, then get out, wrapping a towel around me. I start the shadow walking process again. I have the image of my bedroom and my energy on hand. I concentrate hard on my room, but as the world begins to warp, my stomach growls. I vanish and appear somewhere dark, cramped, and cold, with something pouring down my back.

  “Help!”

  The door to wherever I am opens, and a little light turns on. Serena stares at me, trying hold back her laughter.

  “The refrigerator wasn’t your destination, was it?” I shake my head, holding on to my towel. “Hungry?” I nod. She shuts the door and breaks out in laughter, gasping for air.

  When she’s caught her breath, she opens the door again. Tears run down her face. “You’re an ass,” I tell her.

  “And you’re covered in juice. Come on, I’ll take you to the bathroom.” She takes my hand and off we go.

  After another shower and a few mis-jumps, I finally get back to my room. I brush my hair, put on a nice pair of shorts, shoes, and a muscle shirt to show off my new physique. I’m ready for my da—party. I try to call the girls, but all I get is a message saying their phones are disconnected. “That’s odd.” I make a mental note to try them again later.

  LATER THAT afternoon, we pile into Serena’s car and hit the road. Valene lives nearly an hour away just north of Roc City. I sit in the back seat, watching the houses go by and I get the oddest of feelings. I feel calm but, it wells up in my chest making my throat gets tight. Tears start running down my face. I try to wipe them away before my sisters notice, but they won’t stop flowing. Mayra—the cat—jumps onto my lap.

  “What’s the matter, Kyle?”

  “I don’t know. I just can’t stop crying.” I take a deep breath, trying to discern what I’m feeling. “I think I’m… scared.”

  She paws at my hand. “There’s nothing to be afraid of.”

  “Easy for you to say. You didn’t almost die a few days ago.”

  Serena looks back at me. “What?!” she screams. The car swerves hard. She turns back to the road before asking, “What do you mean you almost died?”

  “Serena, not the time,” Mayra says.

  “Now I’m going to a demon’s party, and I’m scared. I mean, I’m only human.”

  Moving from my lap to the seat next to me, Mayra transforms back into her naked human form. She wraps her arms around me.

  “Kyle, you come from a long line of warriors, all of whom had to overcome dire odds. Our parents, during the last war, faced situations that living in this demonic world did not prepare them for, and they survived.”

  “They were soldiers?”

  “Some of the best.” A tear hits my cheek. I look up to see Mayra crying, and I hear Serena sniffling in the front. “But we already told you how dangerous the human world can be for demons.”

  “They tend to let down their guards, while humans never really drop it, even when they are safe,” I say.

  “Exactly, and that was their downfall,” Mayra says with a straight face. Although her voice is emotionless, the tears continue. She looks down and smiles. “But don’t worry. You have the best of both worlds. Demonic power, and the guarded nature of humans. You’ll be fine, little brother.”

  I take hold of my older sister. “Thank you, Mayra.”

  “You’re welcome, love,” she says, stroking the back of my head.

  MAYRA IS sleeping next to me in the backseat, still in human form, but purring. On the verge of falling asleep myself, the smell of something rotten crosses my nose. Images of that mangled thing in the hallway outside my room reaching for me come rushing back. I hear it breathing—no, gasping—for air. Its mouth moves. I try to listen and recall what I saw that day. Was it trying to tell me something?

  “I’m sorry,” it says, straining. “Please, run.”

  I wake up to the car bouncing. Outside my window, there are huge houses lining the road. “Serena, where are we?”

  “We’re just north of Roc, in one of the higher-end suburbs,” she says, making a left turn at a stop sign. “But it’s farther out still.”

  After thirty minutes of farmland and open fields, we take a dirt road. At the end of the road, we pull up to a large gate with vine-covered walls on either side of it.

  Serena rolls down the window and sticks out her hand. She doesn’t do anything but wave, and the gate opens. As she pulls through, I look for what she was waving at. There’s nothing—no cameras, no guard kiosk, and no guard. The house is nowhere in sight either; it must sit farther back on the property. As we drive in, the gate shuts behind us with that eerie squeak common in scary movies.

  The estate hidden behind the gate is beautiful. The grass, trees, shrubs, and the flowers are all well-maintained and full of life. After few minutes of driving the grounds, we finally reach the house—I mean, the mansion. It’s three stories of granite and brick, the stones woven within one another in a way that doesn’t seem possible. I don’t think this house was built by human hands.

  Serena stops the car at the main entrance. “Well, sweetie, this is where we part ways.”

  I open the door to get out, but something stops me. I look down to see Mayra still asleep, her arms tight around my waist.

  “She can’t have him yet,” she mutters, squeezing tighter.

  “Mayra, you big baby, wake up and let him go.” Serena reaches back and, with all her might, slaps Mayra on the thigh. As loud as it was, I would have woken up screaming bloody murder, but Mayra doesn’t respond.

  I look at Serena and hold my hand up. “I got this.” It’s time for the wake-up call I usually reserve for Airca. I run my fingers along Mayra’s face. She twitches like a cat.

  “Uh, Kyle?” Serena says.

  “Yeah?” I ask, stopping. Mayra’s grip loosens.

  “She’s tends to react just like Airca.”

  Before I have time to process what she means, I go flying out the open car door and across the driveway. I skip twice across the gravel before slamming onto the stone stairs of the porch.

  “Uhh, what happened?” Mayra asks, waking up.

  “You did. By the Creator, Kyle, are you okay?” Serena asks, getting out of the car.

  My world is spinning, but I’m not in as much pain as I should be. “I’m fine.” I tell her before she can even shut the door. I roll to my side and get to my feet. Maybe I should reconsider that little wake-up call of mine from now on.

  “Oh, did I hit him? I’m sorry,” Mayra says with a drowsy smile on her face.

  “You idiot,”
Serena says to Mayra. “Are you sure you’re okay sweetie?”

  “Yeah, yeah, I’m good.” I turn and my back cracks.

  “Well, okay, if you say so.” Serena gets back into the car. She rolls down the passenger window. “Now, you be good and respectful. You know the deal: please, thank you, yes ma’am, and no, sir.”

  It’s weird being given parental advice from a girl who looks no more than a year old than me, but regardless, she is the one that raised me. “I know.”

  “Okay, sweetie. Mayra shut the door; we’re out of here,” she orders as she starts the car.

  Mayra does as she’s told. “Later, little brother. Have fun.”

  The two of them pull away from the house and disappear over the hill leading to the front gate.

  All right, time for this demon party.

  I walk up the stone steps to the double doors and ring the bell. It sounds like a gong from out here. The doors swing open, creating a vacuum that nearly sucks me in. A man with black hair and tan skin, dressed in a tailor-made black-and-white suit—the butler, I’m guessing—appears.

  He sets his stone-gray eyes on me. “May I help you, sir?”

  This guy looks kind of young to be a butler. His skin is smooth, and his features are angular, like he was carved from stone. I would place him in his late-thirties. “Yeah, my name is Kyle Ross, and I’m here for—”

  “Ah yes, Master Ross. We have been expecting you. Please, come in,” he says, bowing.

  He moves aside as I walk through the doorway. There’s a brief moment of pressure that fades once I’m inside.

  “What was that?”

  “You just passed through the threshold of the house. If you were not who you said, you would have been killed instantly. Now, please follow me.” He walks off, and I go after him, trying to shake off the feeling of almost dying—again. Behind me, the doors close and lock on their own.

  He leads me through the house, which, I must say, is amazing. Art of every kind, from every century, fill the walls. We enter a hallway lined with windows facing the courtyard. I stop to admire at set of armor on display along the wall.

  “That belongs to the master of the house,” the butler says, standing behind me.

  “What is it made of?”

  “It’s made of black marble and trimmed in gold. Master Ross, this way please.” I follow him farther down the hall. He stops at a door leading outside and opens it for me. “After you sir.”

  Through it, we enter the breathtaking courtyard. Like the front of the house, there are patches of beautifully arranged flowers everywhere. A huge fountain sits dead center of it all, spouting colorful streams of water into the air. Around the fountain and at a table nearby sit five people.

  “Those are your party counterparts. I shall introduce you? What would you like to be referred to as?”

  “Umm, just Kyle is fine.”

  “Very well then, Master Kyle.” We walk over to the group, and I catch all kinds of looks. “Please excuse my interruption. Allow me to introduce Master Kyle,” he says, directing their attention to me.

  “Hey,” I say with a wave.

  “Master Kyle, allow me to introduce everyone. Sitting at the table is Lady Vivica of the Hail family.” The mocha-skinned woman sits on her stool with perfect posture, sipping tea, her long, silver hair glistening in the evening sun. She looks at me with soft, green eyes, smiles, and nods her head.

  “On the table is Lady Amber of the Koe family.” She waves. Amber is of Asian descent. She has on a lot of black and sports a pink-edged Mohawk. Not many would be able to pull it off, but it fits her round face.

  “Next, sitting on the fountain, is Lady Simone of the Dawes family.” She raises a glass of wine and nods. Her looks are unreal. Everything about her, from her pale skin to her golden curls, is just perfect. She winks at me, and I break her gaze, feeling nervous.

  “And last, but not least, the twins, Matthew and Michael, of the Xanthos family.” They are olive-skinned and have brown hair. The only ways to tell them apart are by their hairstyles and the color of their eyes. Matthew’s hair is messy, and his are eyes light yellow, while Michael’s hair is neat, and his eyes blue. Matthew smiles nicely and bows; his brother just glares at me.

  “Well, now that introductions are over, I shall take my leave. If you need anything, just call.” With a bow, the butler exits the courtyard.

  When he’s out of sight, Simone stands and makes her way over to me. Her thin body is just as unreal as her beautiful face. The way she moves is mesmerizing, but somewhat creepy at the same time.

  “So, you’re the boy Valene has been gabbin’ about for the past two days?” she says with a deep southern accent as she circles me. She stops in front of me, grabs my shirt, and pulls me in close. “She wasn’t lyin’ when she said you were cute, but she failed to mention how buff you are.” She licks my cheek and forces me to kiss her. I pull away so hard that I fall back onto the ground. Surprisingly enough, it’s not my butt that hurts but my mouth. Simone takes a shuddering breath. “Oh, that was so good.”

  “What was that?” I ask, rubbing my mouth. It’s numb, and I drool on my hand. When I pull it away from my mouth, I see red.

  “Darlin’, your blood is just so delicious,” she says with a smile, her elongated canines stained with red.

  A vampire?! I look at the others, and they’re snickering. I look back at her, but she’s not there anymore. “Where,” talking is not easy now that my mouth is numb, “she go?”

  Matthew walks up to me, offers his hand, and helps me to my feet. “She’s over there,” he says, pointing to a flower patch. I turn to see her writhing on the ground, her face flushed and her body convulsing.

  “Is she okay?” I ask.

  “You’re a virgin, aren’t you?” he asks.

  “Yeah, but what does that have to do with that?” I point over my shoulder at Simone.

  “To vampires, virgin blood is a potent aphrodisiac. Gets them all riled up seconds after ingesting it,” he explains.

  My stomach drops. “So, she is a vampire. Does that mean I—”

  “Don’t worry, that wasn’t a bite to turn you, just to taste you. Your mouth will hurt for a while, but you’ll be fine.” I relax but keep my guard up just in case it happens again. “So, two days ago really was your first time among demons, huh?”

  “Yeah. I didn’t even know I was one until then.”

  “Wild. Well, let me be the first to formally welcome you into this wonderful world shrouded in darkness,” he says, taking my hand.

  “Uh, thanks.” He seems like a nice guy.

  “WELCOME!” a voice screams directly into my brain, throwing me off-balance. I grab on to Matthew to steady myself.

  “What’s the matter?” Matthew asks.

  “There’s this voice in my brain. It’s loud…and heavy.”

  “Oh, that would be Vivica,” he points out.

  I turn toward the pretty, silver-haired girl. She waves.

  “Hi, sorry. I didn’t mean to lay it on so thick.”

  How is she doing this?

  “I’m a telepath. I cannot talk through normal means, so I use my mind,” she explains.

  “Cool.”

  My gaze moves to Amber. She’s staring at me with her brown eyes, as if peering into my very soul.

  “Uh, Amber, it’s rude to stare,” Matthew says, waving his hand in front of her face.

  She snaps out of her trance. “Oh, I’m sorry. I just got lost in his aura. It’s so warm and loving, but kind of sad and lonely.”

  I look to Vivica. Umm?

  “She has the power to see the aura and energy of all beings; in turn, she can see the true intentions of whoever she is looking at.”

  “You’re a nice guy. A good pick. I approve,” Amber says with a big smile.

  “Thanks. I try.”

  Matthew hits me on the shoulder. “Wow, everyone’s warmed up to you pretty fast. That’s a rarity for this group.”

  “Well, not ev
eryone,” I say, looking over to the other twin, Michael. Everyone turns their attention to him.

  “Oh, don’t mind my brother. He’s just a little mad. He’s had a crush on Valene ever since he was four, and he doesn’t like the fact that she likes you and not him.”

  Michael chimes in. “That’s right. I mean how can some kid she doesn’t even know steal her heart, when I, someone who has known her since childhood, can’t even get a glance?”

  “Fate is cruel, but it has its reasons,” Amber answers.

  Michael looks at Amber with annoyance written all over his face. “Oh, shut it with that fate crap you’re always spouting. Just look at him.”

  An annoyed sigh rings in my ears.

  “What about him, Michael?” Vivica asks.

  He walks toward me, looking me up and down. “He’s not of noble blood like us. Look at the way he carries himself—just atrocious.” He finally makes it to me and starts circling. “I can’t even sense a lick of power from him. He’s just a worthless worm.” He sniffs the air. “No, just a human.” He walks back over to his spot.

  I’ve had a few people talk bad about me, and normally, I shrug it off, but man, he’s driving it deep. I can’t believe Valene has been talking about me in such a n way. I mean, we only met two days ago. I didn’t know I “stole her heart.”

  “Oh yes, Kyle, she is very smitten with you.” I look to see if anyone else heard Vivica, but they’re still listening to Michael.

  Why?

  “I don’t know. You’ll just have to ask her that yourself.”

  “Human,” Michael says, grabbing our attention.

  “His name is Kyle,” Vivica says, her voice echoing through our minds with anger.

  “Whatever. Tell us, can you even produce armor?” I shake my head in response. He laughs. “Not even worth our time, let alone Valene’s.”

  “You know what, that’s enough, Michael. You’ve gone too far now,” Matthew says, trying to kill his momentum.

  “Shut it, Matthew. Look closely, human, and bear witness to what a man of nobility such as myself can do.” Michael shuts his eyes and starts to tremble. After shadow walking all day, sensing the pull and push of energy has become easy, and Michael is gathering a lot of it. The energy begins to collect around his right arm until it swirls into existence, black as night. The energy solidifies, becoming tighter around his arm. The mass of shifting darkness is huge compared to his lean, muscular body. He looks as if he only exercises the one arm. “Look and behold. Is it not amazing?”