The Darkness in Me

by Diane Nortje

I didn’t know where I was running too, I just had to get out of there, just in case he saw me. I’ve seen him do many things in my dreams, but I was never sure if what he did was real, or if it was just a dream. But I know this is no dream, its real, and he just almost strangled that woman to death, he most probably would have if Weyland wasn’t there to stop him. And all because of her mentioning his weakness, me. God what is he going to do with me once this is all over?

  I have to find a way out of this place, before he finds me. I didn’t bother to wait around to see if they are following me. Do I think he would hurt me? No not anymore. But I probably wasn’t supposed to see that, too see his darkness. He hides it so well, pity I can’t do the same.

  I run back through the passage way that led me to Jacin, I don’t hear anyone over my own footfalls, but I doubt I would hear anyone over the loud thumping of my heart. I burst out into the dark room and come to a halt. Fuck! Which way?

  I look to my left and see four doors against the dark wall, and then to my right and again four doors. I need to keep going, but in which damn direction. If I choose wrong, I could end up with worse than a confrontation with Jacin.

  “This waaay.” The darkness whispers out to me. Where the hell has it been this entire time.

  “Where the hell have you been?” I ask it while running through the darkness in the direction of its voice.

  “Master keeping usss busssy.” The darkness whispers out again to me.

  “How do I get out?” I ask the darkness.

  “Just keep running, Master is coming. Run and you will return, iffff Master does not catch you firssst.” The shadows whisper out to me in that creepy as fuck voice they got going on.

  I push what little energy I have left in my body and run like I’m in hell. I can’t make out where I’m running to, so I stretch out my arms to guard me from face planting into a wall. I just have to trust in the darkness leading me to whatever exit I need to find out this place.

  Before I know what happens, I jolt awake in my bed. My heart rate beating out of control as if I ran a mile. I open my eyes to look straight into Jacin’s, who has pinned me to the bed with his body, not allowing me much room to move about.

  “Jacin” I whisper out. What have I done, I never meant to be there?

  “Little one.” He murmurs out to me. He is watching me closely,

  “I don’t know why I am drawn to you in my dreams, I never meant to spy on you.” I say to Jacin. Hopefully he will understand.

  “You smell of fear little one.” He whispers back to me, ignoring my plea.

  I swallow hard, I don’t know what he expects me to say to that. I’m terrified I might still meet the same end as that woman.

  “I don’t like it.” Jacin whispers into my ear. He runs his nose from my head to my neck. And I can’t help but allow him more access, like it’s the most normal thing he can do to me.

  “Do not fear me little one. I will never hurt you.”

  “How can you be so sure? I saw what you were doing.” I admit to him.

  “You need to understand what I am first, before you can understand what you saw.” He whispers hoarsely out to me.

  “So, tell me.” I whisper back to him.

  “You are so beautiful, so fucking tiny. How are you supposed to survive me?” Jacin says more to himself than to me.

  “Jacin, what are you talking about?” I ask him, this man is confusing me.

  “You have awakened a hunger in me, I never thought was possible. I’m trying to deny myself, but when I’m around you, it’s impossible.” Jacin whispers into my ear, sending a shiver down my body.

  He slowly starts to kiss my neck, its gentle at first, like he is unsure on how I will react. My body reacts without thinking and I arch into his touch. I feel him as he pushes his body down on top of me, his erection coming into contact with my core. His head dips lower to my breasts and sucks my one nipple through the thin layer of fabric that’s barely covering my body.

  I arch into his touch again, pushing my breasts out for him, giving him more access. His mouth is sucking my one nipple and he slowly nips it when he pulls away from me. It feels to good. I feel the loss of his mouth, I watch him as he slowly moves to my other nipple, both of which are straining from my top, and slowly bites down on my nipple.

  I let out a little yelp of surprise, not expecting his bite, but my body responds to him, and I feel the wetness pooling between my legs. His hands move down my body, slowly, memorizing it. I watch as his eyes travel the length of my body, hunger, need, shine through the red haze that is now his eyes.

  “We need to fuck you.” Jacin whispered, which makes my body tremble.

  “We?” I ask him. Please don’t tell me he is into that kind of thing.

  My question seems to startle him. Jacin breaks contact with my body and quickly stands up as if my touch burns him.

  “Jacin, what’s wrong?” I ask him while sitting up to face him, not sure what went wrong, what I did wrong.

  “Nothing, nothing. I must go.” He says to me, straightening his suit jacket and running his hand through his hair. I watch as he walks away towards the door, and before I can call out to him, the shadows swallow him, and he is gone.

  Chapter Sixteen

  “Innocent to wicked.” – Natalie

  ~Natalie~

  I didn’t think I feared Jacin anymore, but I was wrong, my body responding to his touch shouldn’t make me get comfortable. I need to remember he had no problem killing that woman, I need to remember that he wanted me dead as well. I just don’t know if I’m going to meet the same end as that woman was going to.

  I heard Jacin talking to her, his father’s whore, he called her. I wonder if it was my imagination or my eye sight going crazy, but I’m almost certain that those were horns coming out from the top of her head. How do I keep getting myself involved in situations like this? It seems I attract all sorts of creatures, no matter what I do.

  She mentions some sort of throne, and his reign ending. What throne? Where the hell does my mind take me when I’m down there? And Jacin’s reign? I’m coming to realize these men know a lot more about me than I do about them. Which is going to have to change if I’m going to survive whatever the hell this is I’m going through.

  I push the woman from my thoughts, just in case thinking about her too much will draw her closer to me. I really don’t need the extra headache today. But once the woman is pushed from my thoughts, thoughts of Jacin start to emerge. I remember the caress of his fingers, the smoothness of his lips, and the sharp sting of his bite that was oddly erotic. But I can’t allow my thoughts to go down that path. Once again, he left me like he just came out of a daze.

  I wonder through the house, making my way into the kitchen. It always smells of freshly brewed coffee, yet I think I’m the only one who drinks it in this house. My phone starts to buzz on the counter in the kitchen and I move to check on it before I start to make some coffee. I check the caller ID. Faith.

  “Hello.” I say to Faith over the phone. It’s a good thing she called, I need to extend my leave.

  “Hello sweetie. How are you feeling?” Faith says to me. I really don’t deserve such a good friend like she is.

  “I’m a lot better, but I kind of need to take some more time off, some things have come up, and I just need some time to deal with them.”

  “Sounds serious, is everything okay?” Faiths worried voice coming through the phone.

  “I don’t know, until I do, I just need some time to sort it all through. I hope that’s okay with you.”

  “Of course, take as much time as you need. You taught me everything you know, so I should be able to handle the orders as they come through. Are we still on for tonight, I didn’t want to bother you while you were recovering, but I really hope you can make it tonight?” Faith’s voice growing lighter now that she is excited about something.

  “Tonight?” I ask Faith. Not sure what she is going on about since she knows I left the coven.
>
  “Yes, at the club, we been planning this for weeks, please say you will come. I couldn’t convince Beth to come tonight.”

  “Aren’t you going to the covens meeting tonight?” I ask her, I really need to write stuff down so I can keep up with everything.

  “That’s only for the higher members, now stop changing the subject, please say you will come, there is someone I would like you to meet.”

  Why is everyone wanting to go to the club, first Jacin, now Faith. I’m definitely missing something.

  “I’m sorry Faith, I’m just not following you.”

  “Halloween, the annual party at the Inferno. Did you lose your mind with this sickness? We decided to go as sexy unicorns. Remember?” Faith says to me wearily.

  Sexy what now? How does one go as that?

  “Um sure, I remember, I just need to get an outfit.”

  “Oh, you must have lost your memory, I’ll drop the costume off by your parents’ house, I managed to get us the matching heels too.”

  “Okay great, I will meet you there around eight?” I ask her, trying to sound as excited as she is.

  “Great, see you soon”

  Sexy unicorns. Who was I all these years and where the fuck did Natalie go? All I know is that I have to pull myself together. I can’t let fear overtake me now. Not when this could all be possibly over and Jacin realizes he has the wrong girl. Why that thought now bothers me, is a mystery. One that I don’t think I will be solving anytime soon.

  ~ ~ ~

  After convincing Tray to go fetch this so-called sexy unicorn outfit for me, I decided to get ready for this party, firstly taking a shower to hopefully wash off the scent of me being a chicken. It will be the first time I’ve supposedly seen Jacin. And after last night, I don’t know if these butterflies are nervous butterflies that I will see him again or if they are nervous as shit butterflies that I will have to face Jacin tonight.

  I hear a knock on my bedroom door, and in walks Tray with a seriously small looking bag and a large shoe box. Oh no.

  “What is that?” I ask him.

  “Well this is what was left by your parents’ house, I found it in the kitchen.” He says to me.

  “Okay, so where’s the rest of it, that seriously looks like it can only fit a bra in there.” I argue with him.

  “I didn’t check, we are leaving in an hour, Jacin will be there earlier than expected.” He says to me while chucking the bag and box on my bed.

  “Okay.” I nod to him. “Hey what do you think a sexy unicorn would look like?” I ask him.

  “A what now?” He asks me with a confused look on his face.

  “Never mind, I will just come up with something.” I say to him, waving him off.

  I move to look what is in the bag, and my heart drops, I was right, it could only fit a bra in there, one with bright pink sparkles on it and a piece of fabric that I’m guessing is my underwear. There is also a white mini skirt in the bag, that looks like it won’t be covering my ass anytime soon. I look in the other box, hopefully the other part of my costume is in there, and it isn’t, only white knee-high combat boots with heels are in there and a tail with a matching head piece. My word, where did she find this stuff from.

  I look towards my bed, and I see a vest lying on it, and an idea starts to form in my head. I make my way over to my hair curler and makeup kit. I start parting my hair while choosing my makeup.

  “I need scissors.” I shout out, hopefully someone hears me, I don’t have time to go searching for a pair if I’m going to get ready in time.

  I start curling my long hair, when Tray walks in and throws a pair of scissors on my bed and leaves again.

  “Thank-you.” I shout out to him.

  Once my hair is curled and pinned back, and my makeup done, which I’m hoping makes me look like some mythical beast. I start cutting and ripping up my vest, no way in hell I’m going out with just a bra on.

  Once I’m done ripping up my vest, I put on the little clothing I have got, it doesn’t look totally trashy as I first thought, but it’s definitely leaves nothing too the imagination.

  “Let’s go.” I hear Tray shout while banging on my door. It’s too late now to change into something else.

  “Okay, Okay, keep your panties on.” I shout back at him. God are all men this damn demanding?

  I make my way through the house to the group of men that are waiting for me. I can make out Dax and Weylands voices as well, great, I would like to know if they decided to dress up or am I going to be the only one in a ridiculous get up.

  I turn the corner, while adjusting the horn band that I have on top of my head when I hear a crash of glass. I look to where the men are all standing, Dax must have dropped his drink. No one seems to move to pick up the pieces of glass that have shattered on the floor in front of them.

  I look to Dax, who is the only one that bothered to dress up. And to be honest, he looks totally awesome. Definitely rocking the evil jester costume, but with more class. His face is completely covered in black and white makeup. Scary as hell.

  “Hey, cool makeup. I can barely recognize you.” I say to Dax, while walking towards the men.

  “What in the ever-loving hell are you wearing, woman.” Weyland whispers out.

  “He is going to fucking lose it.” I hear Dax say.

  “Hey, its Halloween, and apparently I decided on this costume awhile back. Don’t you guys like?” I ask them while doing a sexy spin to show off my costume to them.

  “Fuck.” Dax and Weyland say in unison.

  “No, no, no, no. Go find something else.” Weyland says to me and starts to pace in front of me.

  ‘What? Why?” I ask him. I really didn’t think it was that bad.

  “Your ass is barely covered in that skirt, your boobs have glitter shit all over them and fuck Natalie, why?” He groans out at me.

  “Oh please, being dramatic much?” I say to him while placing my hands on my hips.

  “Dramatic? Dramatic. You will see Jacin being dramatic later if you don’t change.”

  “He most probably won’t even notice me, why you are making such a big deal about this.” I say back him. Really, I’m sure I will be more covered up than most girls there tonight.

  “Yea, I’m sure he won’t.” Dax whispers out to me, while slowly moving his eyes over my body, the heat in his eyes is undeniable. God why can’t I get that kind of reaction from Jacin?

  “Fuck fine, let’s go. And you are not to leave Tray and Dax’s side tonight.” He says to me while giving me a once over again.

  “I know, I know, life in danger, must stay alive yada, yada, yada.”

  “He is going to bury me ten feet under.” Weyland says more himself than to me and turns to leave with the rest of us in tow.

  ~ ~ ~

  At least we took two cars to the club, so we weren’t all sitting like sardines in a can. I rode with Dax, Weyland and Tray. Both Dax and Weyland couldn’t take their eyes off me, Tray didn’t seem to mind either way what I was wearing. I would often hear Weyland grumbling about something and then shake his head, but Dax was just still, only his eyes moving over me. I swear both are scared of Jacin, so what hope does that leave me?

  When we arrive at the club, its already packed, with the music blasting from within the club making the building itself vibrate. At the entrance the line is so long, that I’m sure the darkness has swallowed up most of the people in it. I’ve got to wonder, have I been here before, or is this just the illusion the fog created. I feel like I’m split in two when I start to think this way.

  After parking the cars, I hop out the car, glad to be away from the constant staring coming from those two. I really don’t see what’s the big deal, from the looks of the line, my costume is quite conservative compared to the other woman in the line, and I don’t see them minding about that from the look they are giving the line as we get closer to it. Men!

  “Boss, it’s good to see you.” The man at the door says to Dax. I don’t know
whether he is pulling off the whole, long hair thing and leather, but each to their own.

  “Thanks Travis, I see we are busy tonight.” I hear Dax ask him.

  “Packed, that whole shit with the coven has made tonight a hot spot for idiots.”

  “Let me know of any trouble.” Dax says to him while patting him on the back.

  Once inside, I can see why Travis said its packed, because it is. I’m not claustrophobic but I could start to be in instances like these.

  “Come on darling, let’s get you pissed.” I hear Dax shout out to me.

  “You own this club?” I ask Dax.

  “No, but no one can tell the difference, only you darling. Which is such a fucking pity. I would have fucked you two ways till Sunday by now.” He says to me with a wink.

  “Enough Dax.” Weyland says to Dax before I could even think of a reply to that.

  “Stay close to Dax or Tray tonight, Jacin isn’t here yet.” Weyland says to me.

  “Ease up Weyland, I know I’m on a short leash tonight, relax, I won’t be out of their sight.”

  The look he gives me should have killed me on the spot, thankfully he doesn’t have that for a superpower. “Come on, let’s make our way upstairs.” He grumbles to me.

  “Um, actually, I’m meeting Faith here, so I was thinking, maybe someone can just come get me when he does arrive, you not even sure he would want to see me.”

  He doesn’t say anything for a while, I’m starting to think he didn’t hear what I said at first, so I was going to repeat myself when he finally moves into me and says, “He is what he is, he will never pretend to be anything he is not. He is not the good guy in a fairytale Natalie, he is not the hero. That doesn’t mean you have to fear him.”

  “What makes to think I fear him Weyland?” I murmur out.

  “You smell of it. Don’t be afraid of his darkness Natalie.”

  “Why would I be? You haven’t even seen mine yet?” I whisper back to him, not sure if he even heard me over the music. I do hope he believes the lie I just told. I am darkness, that’s why I don’t believe the prophesy is about me, but that doesn’t mean mine is darker than Jacin’s’.