When Darkness Falls

by Amanda Perry

  “It’s all right, Julianne,” the older man, likely Mary’s husband, speaks softly. “I’m Abraham, but you can call me Abe. I’m sure you have a million questions and I suppose after everything we put you through, we should answer some of them. We know you witnessed some things you’ve likely never seen before.”

  “That’s such bullshit! She tells us she’s innocent so we just fucking believe her and spill all our secrets to her?” Brecken’s voice booms from the other side of the kitchen causing me to jump in surprise and drop the plate from my hand.

  It falls to the floor and shatters all around me. My body shivers as I bend down to pick up the broken pieces. I mutter an apology for breaking their plate and attempt to still the tremors in my hands. I lose the battle of calming myself down and my hand convulses when I reach for a larger piece of the broken glass and I manage to slice my palm open.

  I clench it tightly shut and hiss in pain. It stings and I know it’ll probably need stitches because the cut felt like it went deep. I don’t have time to blink or react before Leviathan is in front of me. I hear Abe and Mary shout a warning to him, as if afraid he’ll hurt me. His eyes hold so much concern, though, and something deep inside tells me not to be afraid of him.

  “Let me see,” he demands softly. His movements are slow and controlled as he reaches for my hand.

  The moment his fingers touch mine, it’s like a thousand bolts of electricity shoot through my veins. I cry out from the indescribable pain as my eyes flutter closed and everything turns black.

  LEVIATHAN’S POV

  This girl is getting to me. Why is a simple human girl so intriguing? I can’t be in the same room as her without having to fight the urge to grab her in my arms and not let her go. I feel like a dick for just throwing her bag at her and rushing off, but it was probably safer for her that I did. My body’s response to her is not normal. Our kind aren’t attracted to humans. It’s biological, not just preference. It keeps them safe and us hidden.

  When my mother led her into our kitchen, I couldn’t take my eyes off her. It was difficult to keep my glances subtle so the others wouldn’t notice. Relief washed over me to find that she hadn’t left, but I stamped it down. The last thing I need is Brecken noticing my fascination. He might literally explode if that were to happen. He’s convinced the girl stole some bobbles from us and for some reason he won’t let the issue go. He ensured our security team was entirely replaced and the system got a complete update. Something else must have tipped him over the edge but I don’t know what and he isn’t talking. Worse things have happened to our family over the years and he’s never gone to such lengths before.

  My mother, the amazing and sweet woman that she is, offers to make our guest whatever she’d like and I have to hold myself in place when she talks about the possibility of a simple food allergy killing her. I’ve heard of humans having allergies to different foods and other things, but I never gave it much thought until now. I want to seek out every nut in the house and destroy it to ensure her safety. Why is she causing this reaction in me?

  A musical sound reaches my ears as I think over logical reasons for my reaction to her. Seeking the source, I turn my head until I lock eyes with the human girl, Julianne. Her laugh is mesmerizing, magical. When she notices me watching her, she stops laughing and at that moment, my heart shrivels up the tiniest fraction thinking I may be the cause of her losing her smile. She looks so scared, yet curious as she watches us get our food, and I can’t stop myself from helping her out. She’s too thin as it is. She needs to eat something. Doesn’t she have anyone to watch out for her? The thought of another man in her life has me seeing red, yet I want to ensure she’s cared for.

  Of course, my idiot brothers would forget to feed the girl. I told them I wanted nothing to do with this whole kidnapping bullshit and yet I got roped in anyway. They are in such deep shit with our parents.

  I watch as the beautiful brunette stands awkwardly in the corner of the kitchen and eats like this is her first meal in years. She eyes the sandwiches leftover like she wants to ask for another and I’m about to get her one when she opens her mouth to speak.

  “You eat real food?” she asks, not specifically directing the question to any of us. I almost laugh out loud at her impulsive curiosity, but then her cheeks heat up and I have to fight for control once again. This is why our kind don’t mix with humans.

  She apologizes, but my father jumps in. His acceptance of her curiosity is also a silent acknowledgement that he believes her innocence. He suggests we owe her an explanation after what happened the last few days. Before she can get her explanation, fucking Brecken has to have his say. The man has no filter sometimes and I really want to beat the shit out of him. Luckily his mate Elizabeth is already turning as red as her hair and I know he is totally fucked... and not in the good way. Izzy has to be the sweetest person on the planet unless you do something she considers mean. Then you’d better run and hide.

  Julianne drops her plate when Brecken starts yelling like a fucking idiot and before any of us can shut Brecken up, she kneels down to deal with the mess. I see her hands shaking in fear as she tries to pick up the pieces and I want to help her but I’m can’t seem to make myself move. Closing my eyes, I try to rein in my urgency to comfort this girl.

  The scent of her blood hits my senses like a train. My body reacts before my mind can catch up. Normally the smell of human blood would be sweet and enticing. Julianne’s blood makes my stomach twist and my mind race. It causes my body to go into fight mode and want to eliminate the cause of her bleeding. I have never felt anything like this before.

  Julianne doesn’t blink before I’m in front of her, desperate to take care of her. I’m vaguely aware of my parents shouting at me to keep my control and it hits me that they’re worried I may harm her. The thought causes my body to go rigid and my need to protect Julianne grows. Never in my life have I needed to shield someone from my own family before, but if they try to take her from me before I can help her, I will fight them. Of that I have no doubt.

  “Let me see,” I demand, keeping my voice soft and even so I don’t scare her.

  She holds her hand out to me and the moment I take it in mine I feel a jolt go through my veins. This girl is mine; she belongs to me now.

  I don’t have time to question how it’s possible. How she could be mine even though she’s a human. I don’t care what the reason is either. I will go to the ends of the earth to protect and ensure no one ever harms her.

  Julianne cries out and her eyes flutter closed. Her body goes limp and I fall into a panic. “Julianne! Open your eyes!” I plead, picking her up gently and moving her out of the kitchen and onto the soft couch. All I wanted to do is help her. I’ll never forgive myself if I did something to hurt her.

  9

  Leviathan’s Pov

  “Levi, what happened? What’s wrong?” Remus asks as my family follows me into the living room. My father hovers close and I know it’s because he worries about what my intentions are with Julianne.

  I shake my head, not sure what to say. I know she felt the shock, but I don’t understand why it rendered her unconscious. “I don’t know. She just collapsed!”

  Remus kneels beside Julianne and reaches a hand out to touch her. As his skin touches her, fury like I’ve never experienced ignites, sending electric shocks running up and down my body. Instincts kick in and my body reacts before my conscious mind can comprehend what’s happening.

  My canine teeth extend into sharp points, and my vision shifts into predator mode, locked on only one person. Clothing rips as my wings expand. The sharp talons on the ends shred the fabric like butter as they extend from my shoulder blades. I use them to shield Julianne while I grab my brother by the throat and pin him onto the floor. Unease flickers fleetingly as a tiny part of my brain knows, logically, that Remus isn’t going to hurt Julianne, but every nerve in my body screams at me to protect her from the threat.

  “Levi!” Remus chokes, plea
ding with me with wide eyes. “I just want to help her. Calm down! What’s wrong with you?”

  “Leviathan, stop.” My father’s tone leaves no room for disobedience. If he has to, he will stop me, and I don’t stand a chance against him. Taking deep breaths, I force myself to relax. I release Remus and look around at the rest of the room.

  My mother’s hands cover her mouth as her eyes jump between me and Remus. “What has gotten into you, Levi?”

  Remus shifts to sit up and I let out a low warning growl.

  “I need to help her, Levi. She’s bleeding.” Remus glances from me to the blood covering Julianne’s hand. “I swear I just want to stop the bleeding.”

  Remus has spent many lifetimes studying medicine. He knows better than any of us what would be the best treatment for her hand. It kills me that I can’t fix it for her, but he’s knows what he’s doing and she needs medical attention right now. I relent, and offer him a short nod.

  Remus doesn’t waste time. His wife, Nicolette, rushes from the room, only to return seconds later with the bag my brother always keeps on hand. She also hands me a new shirt, which I pull on with a quick thanks. As Remus reaches out to her for a second time to check her pulse, I lock my muscles in place so I don’t attack him again.

  “Leviathan?” My mother voice calls for my attention again, this time demanding an answer.

  I shake my head, still unsure what to say to her. “She’s… mine. I don’t know how, but she’s my other half.”

  My mother gasps, her eyes welling with happy tears. My youngest sister, Izzy, along with the other women all have similar expressions of happiness on their faces. Joseph, Vivian’s other half, seems nervous as usual. Brecken appears shocked and a little bit guilty. But it’s my father’s expression that has me most anxious. He looks worried.

  Remus pulls a small vial and a syringe from his bag. I issue another low, warning growl which gives him pause. “It’s just to numb her hand, Levi. I can’t stitch it up without giving her something to keep her from feeling pain. If she wakes up while I’m using a needle on her hand, that would be incredibly painful for her.”

  I clear my throat and give him a small nod of approval to proceed. Remus shoots subtle, wary glances my way as he numbs Julianne’s hand. She winces in her sleep and I almost break. I have to remind myself over and over it’s to help her. Remus knows what he’s doing and I need to let him do his job. He knows how much I want to rip him away from her and he’s proceeding with extreme caution.

  “She will be fine, Levi,” Remus assures me when he is finally finished. “She needs some rest and it appears she’s rather dehydrated. She’ll need lots of fluids, but other than that, she is good to go. It looks like the poor thing hasn’t eaten a real meal in weeks too. I would suggest feeding her as much as you can. We can get away with eating as much or as little human food as we want. She cannot.”

  “Thanks, Brother.” I mutter and kneel beside Julianne, pushing the stray strands of her dark hair from her peaceful face. My stomach twists when I think about what might happen when she wakes up. My brothers kidnapped her and scared the hell out of her. She has no clue what we are or what’s just happened between us. How am I supposed to tell her that she is now mated to a monster?

  “Brecken, you are such a fucking idiot,” Izzy growls. I look up to find Brecken cowering in a corner and Izzy glaring up at him. “Why were you being such a jackass to that poor girl? Was your plan to starve her to death? Did you even give her water? She’s a human, Brecken. They need those things to live.”

  Brecken’s eyebrows draw together in frustration as he runs his hands through his hair. “She was a prisoner. I thought she took advantage of our family. To deprive humans of food and water for short times is an interrogation technique. I didn’t realize she was already malnourished.”

  Vivian and Joseph sneak away to the kitchen and start cleaning up the mess from lunch. Poor Joseph is always so nervous around humans and the tension radiating off my big brother isn’t helping him. He and Vivian only found each other a few years ago and he isn’t fully used to our way of living yet. His family was vicious and evil. He has a gentle soul, nothing like them at all, though they tried hard to make him follow their ways.

  Izzy’s angry hissing pulls me back to the scene in the corner of the living room. “That isn’t all, B,” Izzy pushes, taking Brecken’s hands. “People do that kind of crap to us all the time. What is so different this time?”

  Brecken hangs his head in defeat. “You were home alone.”

  Izzy tilts her head to the side. “What are you talking about?”

  “You were fucking alone! All by yourself when someone broke in and stole from us,” Brecken shouts, shoving off the wall and pacing the floor. “What if they tried to hurt you? What if they had succeeded in hurting you?”

  Sudden realization dawns on us all. Brecken has always been hot headed, but he isn’t a violent person. I wondered his reasoning for being so angry toward Julianne, but now it makes complete sense. Izzy’s safety was threatened and he feels responsible because he insisted she stay home from the trip we had gone on. She was here alone when the gems were stolen. I remember her telling us that she thought the noise was the housekeepers, but they had the week off. No one had thought to remind Izzy before we departed for the night.

  “Oh, B,” Izzy breathes, grabbing his arms and pulling him into a tight hug. “I’m fine and no one is going to hurt me. You would never allow that to happen. But you can’t take it out on Julianne when she isn’t the one who stole from us. She is innocent and we can all see that. Put your energy into finding the person who set up your brother’s new girl.”

  Brecken kisses her forehead gently and nods his head. “I’m sorry, sugar,” he whispers, though we can all hear him.

  “It isn’t me you need to apologize to,” Izzy tells him with a stern look. She gives him a nudge toward me and smacks his ass. “Say you are sorry to your brother and when she wakes up you will apologize to Julianne or I will spank you and not in the way you like.”

  Brecken’s cheeks pink up a bit as he glares back at Izzy. Our parents fall into sudden coughing fits and Remus and Nikki’s shoulders are shaking suspiciously.

  “Fucking shit, woman!” Brecken mumbles, walking over to me.

  I can’t stop myself from tensing as he gets closer to Julianne. He hurt her before and while I know he has no intentions of doing that again, every part of me is on high alert. Brecken notices my rigid posture and his movements stop a few feet away from me. The guilt in his eyes reappears.

  “I’m really sorry, Leviathan.” When I don’t respond he huffs, rubbing the back of his neck. “I fucked up, and had I known she was yours I would have never touched her. I’m sorry, Brother.”

  Logically, I know he didn’t know what Julianne would mean to me when he scared her. As much as I want to kick his ass for what he did, I can’t fault him for his intense reaction to the potential danger Izzy was in. I would do the same thing if Julianne’s safety was threatened.

  Finally relenting, I glance down at Julianne to be sure she’s all right before I stand and stride over to my elder brother. I give him a quick, one-armed hug. “I forgive you, but do not touch her again.”

  Brecken starts to nod, but stops short and his eyes shoot down to Julianne. I follow his gaze. She shifts around and her eyes squeeze tight. Had her eyes been open, she wouldn’t have been able to see me move from standing beside Brecken to kneeling in front of her. Human eyes can’t see us when we move quickly. I take her good hand in mine and whisper reassuring words to her as I wait anxiously for her to open her eyes.

  10

  Julianne’s Pov

  A deep, soothing voice whispering in my ear is the first thing I notice as I start to wake up. The second thing I notice is a buzzing sensation all over my body. It isn’t uncomfortable at all, just different.

  “Come on, love,” the voice repeats softly in my ear while a large hand squeezes mine gently. “Open your eyes for
me. I need to know you’re all right.”

  Finally breaking through the last of the fog, I flutter my eyes open. I blink a few times and take in my surroundings. Leviathan’s face swims into view and I feel my eyes widen in surprise. Why is he so close to me and why am I lying on a couch?

  “Easy, love,” he murmurs, running a soothing hand through my hair. For some reason the gesture is comforting and not weird or awkward at all. Without conscious thought I lean my face into his hand. His lips twitch while my cheeks warm. What in the world am I doing? “There are a lot of things we need to talk about, but let’s get you some water first.”

  I simply nod and allow him to help me sit up slowly. My head spins a bit, but other than that and the noticeable buzz in my body, I feel fine. My attention goes straight to my hand, ready to assess the damage. Shock fills me when I find a clean white bandage wrapped around it already. I flex my hand in and out of a fist, but don’t feel a thing.

  “Remus numbed the area and stitched it up.” The new girl, Remus’ girlfriend, comes into the room with a glass of water before I fully sit up. How in the world did she move so fast? She hands it to me with a smile which I try to return.

  “I’m Nicolette, but you can call me Nikki,” she tells me softly. “I’m not sure any of us have formally introduced ourselves to you yet.”

  “I’m Julianne,” I mumble, not sure if I’m supposed to be nice to my kidnappers’ family. It feels right to return the introduction though.

  The rest of the family find places to sit around the room. Leviathan is right next to me and hasn’t taken his eyes off me since I sat up. I’m trying not to look directly at him because for some reason his attention makes the buzz stronger and my heart thumps hard in my chest.