Darkened

by S. L. Gavyn

  “Shoot.”

  I gave him Jael’s address.

  “Says it belongs to Tammy and Richard Douglas. Do you need more specifics?”

  “Has anyone seen Mr. and Mrs. Douglas recently?”

  I could hear him typing.

  “No missing persons filed. I’m sending the other guys for backup if you want to wait.”

  “Alright. Thanks Luke.”

  “You’re welcome, Ave.”

  I hung up.

  “That was a waste of time,” Jared said with attitude.

  Was he bipolar?

  “I wanted to know if he was possibly holding them hostage. With the home owners possibly in there, we need to do this as quickly and quietly as possible.”

  “No, I thought we would just call in an airstrike.”

  I narrowed my eyes at him. Once again, dickhead Jared had arrived.

  “If you have a problem with the way I work, I can always do this without you.”

  “No chance. Although if you don’t want to work with me, you can stay here, and I will take care of Jael. Actually, I like that option best.”

  I smiled at him. “Are we doing this now or waiting for the others?”

  He smiled back. “No time like the present.”

  I started for the door, and he grabbed me and pulled me to him before kissing me long and hard. When he finished, we were both breathing heavy. I raised a brow at him.

  “I’d like to say it was for luck but really it was just because I wanted to.”

  I smiled. Hey, at least he’s honest.

  “Let’s just go.”

  We decided to come at the house by the side, enter through the garage, and work our way in through there. Jared picked the lock on the side garage door, and we entered quickly. The smell almost knocked me back out. Now I know why he didn’t park the car in the garage. What I assume is Mr. and Mrs. Douglas were laying in a heap in the corner. Based on the smell, they had been dead for at least a few days, maybe a week. I hurried past and went to the door entering the house. We stopped and listened for a moment. Before continuing, I pulled my katana out then opened the door, and entered the house while Jared followed.

  In the kitchen, I still heard no one. Maybe he needed a nap after his trip to the sex shop or, given what he just bought, he’s in the bathroom. I wouldn’t mind catching him with his pants down. Hey, it’s hard to fight someone with your pants around your ankles. I could tell Jared was listening too because he closed his eyes and tilted his head then he looked at me and pointed down. Down? Did this house have a basement? I looked around for a door and found it behind the stairs in the hallway. I slowly opened the door and Jared slipped past me to enter the stairway leading down. I grabbed his shoulder.

  I’ve been thinking about how to gain the advantage with Jael, and the way I first managed to hurt him seemed like the best route. His underestimating us would be the only way. I mean, Jared could go in there and possible take him out, but they would fight, and there’s a good chance Jael could gain the upper hand. But, if I go in first, he will think he has the advantage then Jared could take him out when he least expects it.

  I pointed to myself then to the bottom of the stairs then I pointed at Jared and the floor at my feet. He shook his head. I pleaded with my eyes and held up five fingers. He shook his head and held up two fingers. Wow. I really didn’t expect him to agree.

  I nodded and started down the stairs. When I reached the bottom, I had to stop. There was a bed in the middle of the room with black bedding. There were all kinds of torture devices on the walls surrounding the bed. Some I recognized while others, the purpose alluded me.

  “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Jael walked out from under the stairs.

  “I...how did you do all this so fast?”

  He laughed. “Oh, this was Mr. Douglas’ play room. I just took it over, and added some of my own embellishments. I’m sure you will like them. I have envisioned you on that bed ever since I first saw it.”

  He moved closer to me, and I pointed my sword to stop him.

  “Jael, the Fallen, you have been found guilty of the murders of four Humans, and it is my duty to pass sentencing.”

  He smiled at me. “You really are beautiful. I have wondered about you. How could such a beautiful child be abandoned here? Where did you come from? Where are your parents? Then it hit me.” He pointed to his head to prove his point. “How could I have missed it? It was so obvious. I can understand you not claiming him as father. He is the enemy after all. The ultimate evil. And, you. You beautiful creature, you, are his only child.”

  “Shut the fuck up. You don’t know anything about me. You think you are righteous because you’re an Angel. You’re nothing but a murdering psycho that needs to be put down.”

  I went on the offensive. This asshole wants to throw my heritage in my face like he’s better than me. Fuck him. I lunged for him and he parried. I immediately came back at him from the right, slicing at a diagonal. When he parried, I used my left hand to punch him in the face. In a blink, he had me pushed against the wall, and then Jared was pulling him off of me. He threw him across the room, and faster than I could see, Jael flew back. The sound was deafening as their swords clashed. I couldn’t really keep up with the strikes because they were moving too fast. After a few minutes, Jared had Jael against the wall on the other side of the room. Jael had blood dripping from his mouth yet he laughed.

  “You killed my only child. He was troubled, and instead of offering him help, you took his life. You think she is your Caryad. She will become stronger than both of us. Do you really think she will want you then? You, who went against your Lord’s command because you could not control your urges. I will take her and she will bare me another son. She will beg me for more.”

  Jared punched him in the face. “She is mine. I knew it the moment I laid eyes on her, and you will not touch her. Your son was an insane killer that deserved to die. Just like you.”

  Jael looked utterly insane for a moment before he pushed against Jared and they began battling again. I tried to back into the corner under the stairs. I felt a hand wrap around my throat, and I was pulled back against a body. I knew it was Jael before I even saw Jared stop in front of us.

  “Do not think I won’t kill her. You will back away and drop your weapon or she will never know what she could be.”

  Jared took a step back then he bent down and sat his sword on the floor.

  “Okay, now what. You kill me and make a run for it? You know that isn’t going to work,” I told him.

  He smelled my neck.

  “Mmm. You smell so good for being the creation of evil.”

  This fucker was really starting to piss me off.

  “I am not evil.”

  “I am sure you could be.”

  “You want to see evil? How about this.”

  I held my hands out in front of me, and concentrated all of my hatred for this Angel who killed innocent people for no other reason than he wanted to get back at someone else. Yet he considered me evil simply because of my father.

  My hands caught flame, and I smiled. I wonder if he can move fast enough to avoid this. I turned toward him, and the blade sliced my throat, but I didn’t care. His face showed shock as I put both of my hands on his chest, and let the hatred flow from me. With it came the flames, and almost instantly, he was engulfed. I took a step back, and watched him burn to ash. It took mere moments before there was maybe enough left to fill a broom pan. I looked at my hands to see they were no longer burning. I wanted to cry. My hands haven’t caught fire since the night my grandmother told me the story of how my mother was raped by a Demon, and it was my birth that killed her.

  I turned to see that Jared was staring at me wide eyed.

  “H-how did you do that?”

  “I’m evil. Didn’t you hear him? My father was a Demon that raped my mother.”

  “What? No. You can’t be...”

  He left off the rest. Instead, he began adamantly sh
aking his head.

  “It’s the truth. My mother was a White Witch. She was an innocent, and she couldn’t bear the thought of killing a child, even one who was born of evil. She died in child birth.”

  He looked at me like I had grown another couple of heads.

  “Why would you...?” Again, he shook his head as though he couldn’t believe what I was telling him. “I-I have to go. I need to...”

  Instead of finishing his thoughts, he picked up his sword and ran up the stairs. In less than two seconds, I was alone. I picked up my katana where I had dropped it, and slowly made my way up the stairs. At the top, I ran into Zach and Hash as they ran into the house.

  “Are you alright?” Hash asked.

  That was a good question. I felt my neck where the blade had sliced it, and pulled back my hand to see there was no blood. I’m not sure how it healed, but I really don’t care right now.

  I just looked at them and nodded. “Jael’s dead. Will you take Luke’s truck back?”

  I reached into my pocket, pulled the keys out, and without waiting for an answer dropped then in front of Hash. Of course he caught them.

  “Where’s Jared? You need a ride home?” Zach asked.

  I shook my head, and ignored the first question since I didn’t know the answer. “I got it.”

  Then I left the house. I walked out of the subdivision and had a seat on a nearby bus bench. I don’t know when the next one comes by and really don’t care. I pulled out my cell. My self-pity will have to wait a minute. I called Cop, informed him Jael was dead, and asked him to send a crew to retrieve the bodies of the home owners. He told me he would handle it, and that Davis was being released later that day. Shifter healing is about four times as fast as a Humans. After I hung up, I just stared into space for a while. I don’t even know why I’m so upset over Jared’s disgust. I could barely stand the guy, yet when he runs away, I feel like I was just kicked in the chest. A bus interrupted my staring so I boarded it. I walked to the back and returned to staring, only it was out the window this time.

  My mind kept running around in circles. How could he treat me that way? Didn’t he understand that it wasn’t my fault who my father was? The look on his face will forever be etched in my psyche. Sure, he looked confused. Probably because he was wondering how he could have ever wanted to be with a woman who was part Demon. But, it was the look of disgust that made me want to curl up and disappear from the world forever. He had just earlier looked at me like he couldn’t get enough, and now I was a freaking abomination. You would think I would be used to being shunned because of what I am by now. The rational part of my brain tried to explain that it wasn’t him rejecting me that I was having a problem with, but just the fact that I was rejected. Rejection is rejection after all, even if you didn’t care what the person rejecting you thought. Unfortunately in this case, I do care what this person thought of me.

  Several hours later I had rode the bus to the end of its route so I got off and looked around. I was on Roswell not too far from Craven’s shop. I promised I would come by for a visit, and he should be at the shop by now, so I started walking in his direction. Even though Craven hits on me nonstop, he knows we would never work out. We are on the wrong sides, and he likes dealing with less than legal clientele. It’s not that he has no morals because I know when it comes down to right or wrong he would pick right, but he likes to walk on the dark side. Which I guess works for him since he’s a Vamp.

  I walked into his shop and his receptionist rolled her eyes then picked up the phone.

  “He’ll be just a moment,” she told me as she hung up the phone.

  I had a seat and just waited.

  “Hello, Angel. Can I take this as, you got your man?”

  I nodded.

  “Wonderful. Come back with me, and we’ll celebrate.”

  I walked back to his office with him. Once we were seated, he took a good look at me.

  “You don’t look too happy to have this killer off the streets,” he said.

  I shrugged. “Oh, I’m extremely glad he’s gone. He was one fucked up individual.”

  “Then what is wrong?”

  “It’s nothing, Craven.”

  “Tell me. Is it these other Fallen who you have been hanging around? Have they done something to hurt you?”

  “No, they didn’t intentionally...it’s my father.”

  “Your father? He has returned?”

  “No, it’s that one of the Fallen found out about my father and...”

  “Did he hurt you?”

  “No, he was just disgusted and ran out. And, the bad thing is that I don’t know why I’m so upset about it. He’s a jerk, and now he’s an even bigger jerk for blaming me for what my father did. How is it in any way my fault who my father is?”

  Craven got up and came around the desk then knelt in front of me.

  “It is in no way your fault. You are a good person. Too good if you ask me.” He smiled and I gave him a small smile in return. “If he can’t see what an amazing person you are, then that is his loss. You deserve better. Quite frankly, I can’t understand why you even associate with someone like me.”

  I smiled at him for real this time. He always managed to make me feel better about myself. Perhaps it’s the way he always looks at me, like he’s hungry just for me, or maybe it’s all the nice things he says that makes me feel like I am something more than I am. I leaned forward and kissed him. He didn’t hesitate to kiss me back. After the last time we were intimate, I had no intension on a repeat performance. It’s not that it wasn’t good, quite the opposite, it’s just we are both aware that our relationship will never be anything more than what it currently is. But right now, I feel so bad, and Craven is making me feel so good that I just gave up thinking and reacted. Anything to take the pain away.

  He tilted his head and deepened the kiss, and I opened fully to him. After a moment, he moved to my neck then began undressing me while I did the same for him. Once he had removed all my clothes, he pulled me to the floor and leaned over me.

  He slowly moved down until his mouth was on me, and I lost all thought processes for a while until I exploded. I couldn’t help but scream out, and he caught my scream with his mouth before I finished. He pulled back to look at me.

  “Mmm. You are the closest I will ever get to Ambrosia. You are so beautiful, Angel. Never forget that.”

  Then he was in me and we rode together. We rolled around the floor taking turns being on top until he finally turned me over, and took me from behind. He nuzzled my neck so I moved my hair to the side and tilted my head to give him better access. When he bit me, an orgasm instantly overtook me again. I felt everything. Him, me, us. It was too much, and I came again as he found his release with me. He licked the wounds before pulling away and turning me back around. He looked into my eyes before kissing me.

  “Gods, I wish I could keep you,” he said when he pulled back again.

  I smiled at him and his expression turned sad for a moment before he smiled back. We dressed, and I started to leave.

  “Thank you, Craven.”

  “Do not thank me, Angel. It should be I who thank you. I am undeserving.”

  “Says who?”

  I turned and walked out the door. I don’t love Craven. Or I guess I should say I’m not in love with Craven and never would be, but because of him I felt much better about myself, and it wasn’t just the sex that made me feel that way.

  Twenty-One

  I took the Marta back to the station close to my apartment then walked the rest of the way. I was exhausted. Today has been an emotional roller coaster, and I’m ready for it to be over. Unfortunately, the Gods just wanted to give me a good kick in the teeth. As I walked up to my apartment, I saw Jared standing outside my door knocking.

  “I’m not there,” I said.

  He turned around and looked relieved.

  “Caru, I’m glad I found you. I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have acted that way. It wasn’t that I was upse
t about what you said. It’s just...”

  I held up my hand before he could go any further.

  “It’s okay, Jared. I understand and it really is alright. I’m fine with who I am.”

  “I’m just confused. Why do you say your father was a Demon?”

  “Because it’s the truth. Look, can we not have this conversation right now. I’m tired.”

  “Fine, just one thing. Do you believe I won’t want you if I think you’re half Demon?”

  “Judging by your reaction earlier, I was leaning in that direction.”

  He took a step closer and I leaned back a little. I was just with another man. I wasn’t going to go kissing on him or anything.

  “Nothing can make me stop wanting you, Caru. There is nothing you can say or do.”

  Okay, that wasn’t what I was expecting. Why the Hell do I feel guilty all of a sudden?

  “Look, Jared. I don’t think we should...”

  He leaned forward to kiss me, and I turned my head. He stopped and used his hand to push my hair back. Apparently, he saw the bite marks.

  “You let that Vampire feed from you?”

  “What Craven and I do is none of your business.”

  I turned toward my door and started to unlock it. He turned me around to face him.

  “Why would you let a Vampire feed from you? Are you his regular donor?”

  “What? No.”

  “Then why did you allow it this time?” He searched my face, and I guess my guilt was obvious because he released my arm.

  “You slept with him? You fucked that Vampire and let him feed from you? How could you? How could you do that to me?”

  “I did nothing to you, Jared. You left me at a killer’s house alone with nothing but his ashes and a couple of dead bodies in the garage because you couldn’t deal with the truth about me. How do you think I felt?”