Blood Born (The Dark Hills Series Book 1)

by Hana Blue

  “Ok.” She chirped. “So if I knew a way you could be like me, what would you do then?”

  Her question sounded bated, but the innocent look that glowed from her made me brush it off. Pulling her up closer to me, I looked deep into her eyes.

  “I’d do whatever I had to, to make you mine forever.” The phrase left my mouth so effortlessly, so honestly.

  There wasn’t anything that I wouldn’t do for this woman. If truly given the chance to be with her for the rest of my life, I would have done anything. Whatever she asked, whatever she wanted would be hers as long as I could wake up next to her every morning.

  If I could make her my wife, the mother of my children. There were no bounds to what I would do for her. It wasn’t healthy, and I knew it. But love has a tendency to make you crazy, and at this point I could have easily been strapped in a straight jacket.

  Evangeline was my entire world.

  * * *

  DOMINIC~

  Leaning back in the rickety dining chair, I scoffed at my father’s tale. History seeming to repeat itself before my very own eyes. I looked over to Aine, who watched my dad intently as he talked, getting lost in his words, her face twisting with pity. A pity I wasn’t so inclined to share.

  So far, as I could tell, his misfortunes stemmed from him being a damn fool and falling in love with my mother. Who I already knew was a manipulative bitch. I mean, it serves him right that this would happen. Calling that woman his world.

  The notion that I unfortunately had felt for Aine as well, until this morning that is.

  “So, to clarify.” I began. Clearing my throat. “You’re telling me, that you being a beast is directly linked to you falling in love with a manipulative slut who was fucking some guy, you, while she had a mate, and it destroyed your entire life.” The words fired from my mouth with malice, glaring at Aine from the corner of my eye as I spoke.

  She knew damn well I was relating it to her, the look of spite on her face as I said it made that more than clear. Funny how history will replay throughout generations. I guess I didn’t need my father to be there growing up for me to be cursed with his foolish nature regarding women. How fortunate for me.

  “I can’t believe you, Dominic.” She grumbled under her breath, barely audible. I guess that she had forgotten that her, and I were connected and that I could hear her every breath and heartbeat. So there was no way that her low grumblings would go unnoticed.

  To say that I was in no state of mind to be kind to her was an understatement. I knew I was being childish, but something about showing your soul and having it be stomped on, brings out a whole new anger that you never knew existed.

  “Wouldn’t be the first time.” I retorted, flashing her a malicious smile, one that brought on one of the most furious faces I had ever seen from her. Lucky for her, she was very sexy when she was angry, otherwise the way her face was twisting with frustration would be disgusting.

  Chuckling at her darkly, I returned my gaze back to my father, raising an eyebrow, curious to know if he would continue on with his story. He shook his head at me, no doubt favoring Aine’s side in this petty fight. Since he was more inclined to protect her and watch over her than be there for his own son.

  I would be lying if I said that my jealous mind hadn’t taken full control, and his sympathetic looks towards her weren’t helping in the slightest. Leading my anger to again focus on the damn tattoo on her neck. If all the stories I had gathered from others, not from her mind you, were true. That tattoo was most likely in honor of Damien, which made my skin crawl.

  Realizing that the next time I wanted to be with my mate, if I took her from behind, I’d have to be face to face with my father. Not exactly a romantic thought.

  Damien sighed, lowering his face again, probably ready to continue on. Normally at this point I would have walked away from this story time, but I understood that this entire story affected me greatly, being as I had inherited whatever this beast is from him. So I stayed and listen.

  * * *

  DAMIEN ~

  34 YEARS AGO.

  Taking my hand in hers, she led me into the minor house that sat in the middle of nowhere. Leading me directly into the depths of the unknown. The world of fantasy becoming far more real to me than I had ever imagined. The fine line that separated reality and mystical blending quickly. Blurring the line between what was real and what seemingly wasn’t.

  Entering the house, I felt immediately uneasy. Hanging all around the grim room here plants and headless animals alike. Blood dripping down from the carcasses onto the floor like a leaky roof, puddling all over the wood planks, leaving you no choice but to step in it. The overwhelming smell of death and rot filled my nose, leaving me with a lightheaded feeling.

  “Where the fuck are we Evangeline?” I spat at her. My urge for self preservation overwhelming me.

  She left me unanswered as she confidently walked through the death and decay like she was browsing aisles at a department store. Everything in my soul was screaming at me to run. To get as far away from here as I possibly could, but the only thing stronger than my fear, was my love for her, so I stayed put. Even if I knew deep down, I was in trouble.

  Swallowing hard, I followed Eva farther into the house, the haunting feeling only growing worse. With every step I took, I felt my soul getting crushed further, like the life in me was being sucked from my body.

  Finally, Eva stopped at an old door. Placing her hand on the knob for a moment, then pulling it away. Slowly she turned to look at me, her eyes full of life, much braver looking than my own.

  “I love you, Damien.” She cooed to me, easing some of my nervousness.

  “I promise, this is the only way.” She then added, grabbing the doorknob again and twisting it.

  She pushed the door open, revealing a dismal room, the air filled with an almost fog. It was eery. Like this one room alone was completely void of good in the world. That this room had never seen the light, it was a godless space.

  “Evangeline Darling.” A gentle woman’s voice called out from the darkness as we stepped inside.

  “Elli,” Evangeline cooed back, her voice taking on an almost sinister tone, sickeningly sweet. Dripping with an evil I could even imagine of her. So different from what I knew Eva to be, like a whole alternative version of her stood in her place.

  My sweet angel, with the heavenly eyes, taking on a frightening demeanor. One to which I couldn’t recognize. Ripping any of the faith and security I felt with her presence right out from under my feet.

  From the shadows of the room, the woman who’s voice called to my love by her name showed herself. A tall, thin woman with long white hair came into the dim light. Her skin as light as her tresses, and her eyes bright to match. A ghostly aura around her as she all but floated to us. Stopping in front of Eva.

  Grabbing Eva’s arm, I tried to pull her back, the fear of her being in danger driving me to protect, but she didn’t budge. She looked back at me and smiled.

  “It’s ok, she’s a friend. She will make you like me.” Her words were soft and reassuring, but not enough to quell the fear in my gut.

  “She’s a witch.” I replied without thinking.

  A wide grin grew on Eva’s face as she nodded. The woman she called Elli, seeming to be unfazed by what I said.

  “This is the man?” She asked politely, pointing a slender finger in my direction, sucking out all the air from my chest.

  Eva nodded in giddy excitement, looking back to me once more with a prideful smile. “Yes, this is my Damien.”

  For the first time since knowing her, the sound of my voice dripping from her tongue made me sick.

  “Almost fitting name he has.” Elli mused, making her way over to me.

  Standing at my height, it left me eye to eye with the soulless woman. Her eyes having no pupils, no distinguishing features, just blank, stark voids. Looking over her shoulder, I saw Eva standing there, watching me. The look on her face far too pleased for the situ
ation at hand, but still I trusted her, so I needed to be brave.

  “Damien.” The haunting voice spoke again with a ghostly tone.

  Placing a boney hand on my chest, she hummed. “Darkness already lives in you Damien. You’ve made my job easier. You will be just fine.” She hummed again.

  “What do you have to do, to make me like my Eva?” I asked her, my voice cracking from the fear.

  Elli smiled to me, pearly white teeth glowing in my direction.

  “I will give you a soul of a wolf.” She stated plainly.

  “Those pure of heart can’t accept the kind of soul I’ll give you, but yours is tainted isn’t it?”

  Starting to circle me, Elli took slow steps, examining me like I was a prize she just bought. Eva’s ecstatic giggling in the background.

  “You won’t truly be a wolf like Evangeline. For she was born as one of them. However, my love, I can give you a soul that once belonged to a wolf. How it’s form shows will be determined by you. If you take on the soul with an open heart, you will be free. If you take it within yourself with a bitter heart, it will forever mirror your own soul. Regardless of how ugly. Do you understand?”

  I swallowed hard, nodding once.

  “Good.” She cooed. “But I will warn you. Both of you.” She continued. “Be careful with how you use your newfound power.”

  As she spoke demons rose from all surfaced in the room. Evil surrounding us. I looked to Evangeline, but she didn’t even seem to notice. Figures of marred and disfigured creatures swirled around me like I was stuck in the eye of a hurricane. Soon the wave became so dense with tortured souls crying out to be free, I couldn’t see Eva anymore.

  Looking around us at the sea of what used to be life, the witch grinned.

  “Damien. These are souls of the forgotten. The ones of Eva’s kind that fell because of their sins. You will become the vessel that carries one of them. They get their salvation, and in return you get their power.”

  Looking around as well, I watched the pained figures dance around me.

  “I give you one last warning, Damien. There is no looking back. The choice you make here today out of love for this woman that you will soon meet for real, will pass on for generations. Your doom will plague your young. Their young will suffer as well.”

  With her ultimate words stated, with long pale fingers, she plucked a soul from the surrounding air, smiling at it. A snarling black wolf with bright red eyes.

  “Demons of her kind. Sitting in the shadows of hell, waiting for their open door.” She whispered to the soul, then with one swift motion, she slammed her hand against my chest, the soul disappearing underneath my skin, and the world around me went black.

  * * *

  PRESENT DAY~

  “I woke up days later in the pack house, Eva by my side nursing me back to health. She cared for me until I regained my strength. Showing me and teaching me what I needed to know. All seemed to have gone well at first, and quickly I fell in love with my wolf. Beautiful and grey, before I destroyed it.”

  “You weren’t always a beast?” Aine asked with confusion, tilting her head at me.

  I shook my head no. “No, I looked much like Dominic at first.” I explained.

  “However the uglier I got, the uglier it got. It wasn’t long after my change that Eva came to me with news that made me happier than I could even explain. She was carrying my child. You, Dominic. The problem was, her mate would have killed her for it. So I did as any man would do to protect the woman he loved, and his child. Eva set up a plan, one that was foolproof. The plan to kill him. So to keep her safe, and to make her happy, I did. That’s when I changed. With every life I took, and every evil dead done, the wolf I had become took on a form of a demon.

  I lowered my head down into my hand and sighed, this being the first time in years it forced me to think of those days.

  “Staring with her mate, then to her father, her mother, his sisters. One by one by her request, I took them out. A massacre of her own family, done to please her. One goal in mind. Her love. Soon, there wasn’t many left, and by her side I assumed the roll as Alpha over her pack, creating the Echo pack. That’s when the threat to me finally came.”

  * * *

  AINE~

  Stories of my kind flooded in the back of my mind as Damien explained who he was, and all became more clear. The hunter’s purpose was always to maintain order. That’s why we were given the strength that we were, the forms we had. I always assumed that it was for the upper hand over the pure wolves and Lycans. What I never realized was the lycans weren’t the wolves created, wolves it made us to kill. It was Damiens kind that made us to kill.

  “The hunters.” I muttered under my breath and he nodded.

  “Yes. The hunters. Whereas I was ready to give myself over, the loathing for what I had become enough to make we want to die, Eva had other plans. Blinding me with the notion that I had done nothing wrong, and that your kind was the treat, she led us into war. Using me as a weapon against the hunters, me being the only genuine challenge to them. The more strength and power that came from war, the more my eyes opened, letting me see who she really was. Till finally I made a choice to be done, and with my last gesture, I saved two children in hopes to repair my soul.”

  I felt salty tears roll from my eyes. My heart breaking for Damien.

  “So, between Aine and Mom, women are the devil. Got it. Thanks for passing on this bullshit curse, appreciate it.” Dominic spat, standing from his chair and leaving the room.

  Glaring at his back at he left, I snarled.

  “I’m sorry.” I muttered to Damien, trying to apologize on Dominic’s behalf.

  With a low chuckle, Damien shook his head. “No need. You are not responsible for his actions. Just give him a minute, it’s a lot to process.”

  “Can I ask you a question?” I asked him, taking in the pained look on his face.

  “Of course.” He replied reassuringly, reaching out to take my hands in his across the table.

  “Does Dominic hold the same curse?” I asked quietly. Looking down at the rough hands that held mine.

  “Since he came here, he has become a beast, one like you.” I added softly.

  “Yes Aine, he does. It will only get worse. The darker he lets his soul become, the more of his wolf he will lose. I assume the darkness coming on has something to do with you.” He confirmed plainly.

  “Me?”

  Damien nodded sorrowfully. “It takes an inordinate amount of darkness and soullessness to want to kill, let alone for him to have the desire to kill you, who is a part of him. I don’t doubt that’s where it has come from.”

  Exhaling, he looked at me. “It will destroy him, but I believe you can save him before it’s too late. You will need to mend whatever has him like this though. It’s not my business, but whatever happened this morning needs to be fixed before he can act on it.”

  Nodding, I lowered my gaze. So many other questions swirling around my mind. There was still so much I didn’t understand, so much that I couldn’t wrap my mind around.

  “Why was it me you saved?” I asked him, swallowing hard. Deciding that was the first of the many things I wanted answers to.

  He chuckled at me, a genuine smile peaking through at last.

  “Funny thing about being cursed, you hold more power than you realize. From the minute I saw you, I knew that you would become very important in life. That is also why I kept you hidden from my pack as long as I did. Why I made you promise to survive. I knew you held an enormous part of the future for me and my family, and I needed you to make it.”

  Twenty Five

  His Angel

  AINE~

  Stepping up to the back door, I saw him. Still slumped over in the same spot as he was hours before. His right side littered with empty bottles and at least three packs worth of cigarette butts. I didn’t know how Damien expected me to save this man. I was in no position to be saving anyone. Not even myself.

  He see
med far too broken by the time I came around. It might have already been too late for me to make any difference at all. That is if any difference I made could even be a positive one. Maybe if things had happened differently between us I could have, but as of now, I had little hope.

  The way he acted earlier shamed me, embarrassed me, and mostly showed me how he really felt. I felt so small after how he treated me, and it hurt. That he likened me to his mother made my blood run cold. How could someone who claims to love me, relate me to a vile woman like her? I would have never done that to him. Not saying that makes me better, but it sure shows something about caring for him.

  Beyond all of that, I still felt a need to try. Regardless of how upset with him I was. I needed to put that aside and do what was right. To attempt getting through the bullshit and talk to him, help in some way. So here I stood, too weak to walk away, but also too weak to step outside, leaving me to watch from the screen door silently. Standing like nothing but a shadow over this man as he slowly lost himself.

  Nothing but a spectator to his pain.

  “Well, are you coming out?” He called out to me, keeping his back to the door. I knew he knew I was here, but deep down I hoped he’d just ignore me. I guess he was at least calm enough now to want to speak to me. Or I was about to walk into a fight, which was still a large possibility that I needed to consider.

  I watched as he ran his fingers through his hair and take another drink. “Well?” He said again, turning to look at me over his shoulder.

  My heart lurched in my chest, breaking for him. I hated that I had contributed to the pain that was all over his face, and I hated that in a way, I was also responsible for him not having his father. Even if ultimately it was his mother’s doing, even as a child I played a part.

  I wasn’t lying when I said I loved him. Maybe it was because of our bond, maybe it was because I was seeing him as a man, maybe it was my own foolish need to have this work, so for once I could have a happy ending. No matter the case, I love him. Seeing him look broken and frustrated hurt me, and I needed to brave up and go to him.