Born Dark

by H G Lynch

  Reid opened the door ahead of her and took her hand firmly in his as she stepped in beside him.

  The carpet was unmarked, not a single stain or drop of blood, no dark feathers left on the floor. Ember breathed a sigh of relief but, behind her lids when she blinked, she could still see the wrung out bird.

  “Better?” Reid asked, glancing around nervously as if someone might’ve been hiding in the corner, waiting to attack. Fortunately, they were the only two people in the room. Ember nodded and went to sit on her bed, longing for the comfort of her own possessions. Reid closed the door and followed her, eyes searching her expression for any sign she might freak out again. But she stayed calm and, feeling a little childish, reached under her bed for her teddy bear. OK, so even the toughest chicks needed something sentimental. Ember hugged the fuzzy teddy to her chest and saw Reid smile, shaking his head in disbelief.

  “I never would’ve thought it. Ember Jennings has a teddy bear. And I bet you sleep with it too, don’t you?” he chuckled, apparently entertained by the notion.

  “Shut up,” she muttered, the command muffled as she spoke into the teddy’s head. She lifted her head to stick her tongue out at him. Reid merely arched a brow. Ember felt very much like a small child right now, but that feeling went away quickly as Reid leaned over to kiss her chastely on the lips. She dropped the teddy and shifted closer to him, snuggling into him instead. He put his arms around her and just held her there, his breath soft on her hair and his solid body comforting next to her. Again, it was such an unknown comfort for her, and it made her heart beat a little faster being held against him like this. But slowly, she began to relax, quite happily breathing in his warm scent until her eyes fluttered closed.

  Ember woke up sometime later, wondering how she could’ve fallen asleep fully dressed and on top of the duvet. Then she remembered the crow and the infirmary, and then sitting with Reid, his arms around her and her fingers curled into the front of his t-shirt. It was going to take her a while to get used to that sort of thing, she realised.

  When Ember opened her eyes, gentle green ones met hers, instead of the bright blue she’d been imagining. “Hi, Emz. Feeling better?” Sherry asked, her voice almost a whisper. Ember sat up, rubbing her eyes tiredly. Her eyes stung, and the skin under them was tender from crying earlier.

  “Yeah, I’m just fine. How are you?” Ember had been worried about her friend earlier too. Honestly, how had she fallen asleep so easily amidst so much turmoil? Surely Reid had drugged her or something, or maybe he’d compelled her. Somehow, she suspected she’d just been more tired than she’d realised. She didn’t often faint, and it had taken a lot out of her.

  “I’m OK,” Sherry said simply. She didn’t need to add more, because Ember could see the lingering sweetness in her eyes that meant she’d been with Ricky recently. Of course.

  “Ricky took good care of you, I heard. I’m glad.” Ember gave a weak smile and yet again felt that tug of guilt. She was starting to think it might be a permanent thing, the guilt. She wished she could tell Sherry what Ricky really was, she had a right to know.

  Sherry just nodded and smiled a little. Ember glanced at the clock; it read 7:43am.

  She hadn’t thought about the time since she’d awoken in the infirmary earlier, but she realised she must’ve been out for a while down there. And she must’ve been out for at least a couple of hours here. Exhaustion and horror were taking their toll lately.

  “It seems Reid took care of you, too. He was still here when I got in about an hour ago, and you were completely out, sleeping like the dead. He told me he didn’t want to leave until someone else was here to keep an eye on you.” Sherry grinned, gave Ember an expectant look. Ember just rolled her eyes. She felt a hint of a smile tug at her own lips, though, before she rummaged under the bed for her coke. She took a swig from the bottle to help wake her up, and then went to the bathroom to freshen up.

  She closed the door behind her and examined herself in the mirror. Oh, boy, she thought miserably, seeing her gaunt reflection staring back at her with heavy blue eyes and unusually pale skin - pale even for her. Her hair was a wavy mess and she felt unclean, thick with exhaustion. “Shower time.” She muttered to herself, and walked back to the other room to gather up clean clothes. She thanked God it was a long weekend and she didn’t have school again until Wednesday. She just couldn’t have gone to school today.

  She grabbed clean clothes and her hairbrush, and headed for the shower again. Sherry was already absorbed in whatever she’d started watching on her laptop, so Ember figured she could take her time in the shower, hoping the hot water would blast away the tension in her muscles. She closed the bathroom door, and locked it behind her before flipping on the shower and beginning to undress.

  Ember emerged from the shower a long time later, feeling refreshed and ready for nearly anything. She dried off and wrapped a towel around herself, brushing her hair into a wet ponytail and securing it with a hair bobble from the collection by the sink. She rifled through the pile of clothes she had on the floor and realised she’d forgotten to take out a clean bra in her hurry to hop in the shower.

  Sighing, she opened the bathroom door and walked into the next room, headed for her dresser. She noticed right away that Sherry was gone - probably with Ricky or off to the library to study for her next English essay - but someone else was in the room instead.

  Ember immediately felt embarrassed and uncomfortable, standing in just a towel while Reid lounged against the closed door, looking… well, his expression changed quickly when he saw her, turning from a quiet amusement - which probably meant he had something planned, a reason for being here that would surprise her - to something like hunger. Not the bloodlust kind of hunger, though.

  “Um, hi. You’re back already.” Ember was clutching the towel to her with white knuckles, and resisting the urge to simply run back into the bathroom. Reid didn’t reply, but his gaze began to wander all over her, raking every inch of exposed skin, and Ember blushed furiously. Her stomach fluttered.

  She’d had guys tell her she was pretty, or occasionally that she was hot; she sometimes got admiring glances in the street, but she’d never had a guy so blatantly undress her with his eyes before - not that he really had to use his imagination much, seeing as all she was wearing was a thin, cotton towel which left most of her legs bare for him to see. It was unnerving and flattering at the same time. Then again, that was just Reid for you anyway.

  “Uh, Reid? Hello?” She adjusted the towel, tugging it up higher and tighter. Waves of heat were rolling up her face, but there was a different kind of heat sinking into her stomach. She swallowed, watching Reid’s eyes stroke lines down her body and back up again. She could practically feel his gaze like a tangible thing, like cats paws brushing her skin. It made her shudder involuntarily, and she knew he noticed. He grinned devilishly at her, his eyes dark.

  “Yes?” He raised his brows, finally meeting her eyes again. Ember opened her mouth, but no words came out. She wasn’t really sure what to say. His ogling had thrown her mind into a tizzy and she’d forgotten whatever it was she’d been about to say. She closed her eyes briefly, hoping that if she didn’t look at him, she might be able to think again. But when she opened her eyes, she gasped, flinching back, her towel slipping a little as her fingers spasmed reflexively. Reid was right in front of her, though she hadn’t heard or felt him move; he was close enough to touch, close enough that if she just took a step forward, she’d be able to reach up and slide her fingers into his hair. Oh, for God’s sake, control yourself! She determinedly took a step back, despite the urge to move the other way and touch Reid, kiss him and press herself against him. Stop it!

  “Why are you here?” she asked, a little more unsteadily than she’d intended. Reid took a small step back and feigned hurt, covering his heart with one hand.

  “Don’t you want me around anymore? I thought we’d gotten past this?” he teased, grinning. But when Ember only rolled her eyes in respon
se, he sighed dramatically. “I’ve got a surprise for you. I think you might like it but you should probably get dressed first.” He paused then, tilting his head as his eyes drifted over her once more. He added mischievously, “Unless you’d rather stay here and enjoy some other surprises?”

  Blushing, Ember pushed away some very inappropriate thoughts and looked away from him. “I’ll get dressed,” he said bluntly, brushing past him to get to her dresser.

  She didn’t worry too much about him seeing as she pulled underwear out of the top drawer - after all, he’d actually stolen her underwear not all that long ago. Of course, that didn’t stop him trying to snatch it from her, chuckling with delight. Stubbornly, Ember held onto the bra she’d taken out of the drawer, and whirled away from him before he could catch it. She locked the bathroom door once she was in, just in case. She wasn’t entirely sure it was completely beyond him to secretly watch her dressing.

  “So, where are we going exactly?” Ember asked, peering out the window at the hazy fog rolling over damp, browning fields as they drove by in the Aston Martin. She tapped her fingers nervously on her leg, wondering where he was taking her.

  “I told you, it’s a surprise.” Reid smiled mysteriously, his blue eyes lighting up. He didn’t say anything more, and Ember didn’t bother asking, knowing he wouldn’t tell her. Of course, she could always use a little feminine power and make him tell her, but that would likely lead to other things and Ember wasn’t sure she could restrain herself. Plus, tempting Reid like that would be like baiting a shark with chum; he wouldn’t be able to resist, and wouldn’t be happy unless he got what he wanted.

  Ember was puzzled, though, when they pulled up at a rickety wooden fence that surrounded what looked like an old abandoned house. It was big and dark and appeared to be falling apart, but it certainly had that creepy quality that made her fully believe there was something supernatural around it. The mist rolling in across the unkempt garden added to the effect. She half expected a ghost to come howling out the door as they approached it and entered.

  Nightmare Approaching

  Inside, she found it wasn’t nearly as treacherously battered as the outside seemed to be. They stepped through the mouldy entryway into a large, open-plan foyer, with a rotting ceiling that seemed to be shedding plaster and filthy paint in flakes like grimy snow. To their right was a wide archway set into the dusty walls, and beyond it was a huge, empty space. Floorboards crouched unevenly amongst the dust and dirt, litter such as beer cans and smashed bottles were the scattered remains of private parties of daring students. The wooden panelling of the walls was visible through the torn and peeling wallpaper, too faded and murky with age to have a colour or pattern. Cobwebs clung to the corners of the room, drifting from the beams across the ceiling like dripping syrup. Rusted copper pipes showed through a ragged hole in one wall, like the exposed veins of the house.

  On their left, there was rickety wooden staircase, leading up to the floor above, the hand railing rotted away until it looked as if it would collapse at the slightest touch.

  Ember followed Reid across the foyer, and stopped in front of a heavy, battered-looking metal door, set into the wall under the staircase. The door was large, dented and scorched and oddly out of place in the sagging, ancient building. There was a set of padlocks securing the door shut, though it appeared that somebody had tried to smash the locks, judging by the twisted mess of them. Confused and anxious, Ember looked at Reid. He simply smiled back, and reached under the collar of his shirt for something. When he pulled his hand out, he was holding a set of thin, shiny keys on a chain around his neck. Ember wondered how she hadn’t noticed the chain before.

  Swiftly, Reid used his collection of keys to unlock the door, and dropped the heavy padlocks to the floor. He yanked on the steel handle, and the door lurched open with a low groan and a squeal of the hinges. Beyond the door, there was a set of stone steps, leading down into darkness. On the cobweb-dusted stonewalls, delicate candelabras were bracketed, empty of candles. Reid moved onto the top step, and began to descend, but Ember hesitated.

  Several steps down, Reid realised she wasn’t following, and paused, turning to look up at her. He was far enough down into the darkness that his face was covered in shadow, a mask of white turned up to her. His hair gave a dull gold shine, and only his eyes were clearly visible, as glowing blue pools in the gloom. “Are you coming?” Reid asked, his voice echoing faintly up the stone stairway. He stretched out one hand to her, and she saw him smile reassuringly. Slowly, she smiled back, and reached for his hand, stepping down onto the crumbling stone steps. His warm fingers closed around hers, and he led her down the stairs, only Ember’s footsteps echoing from the stone around them.

  The temperature gradually dropped, and the darkness enveloped them so completely that Ember could hardly see the ground beneath her feet. Eventually, Reid dropped her hand, and looped an arm around her waist, steering her easily down the steps that she could no longer see. Once, she slipped, and felt Reid’s arm tighten around her as she clutched at his t-shirt. Her breath puffed out in surprise. As Reid steadied her again, she looked up, and found him smiling down at her, his eyes bright even in the pitch black.

  “Are you taking me to a dungeon or something?” Ember whispered as they began moving again, the oppressing creepy feeling forcing her words out quietly. Reid just smirked and shook his head.

  When they finally reached the bottom of the endless staircase, Ember paused in both awe and surprise. The room they had descended into was as beautifully eerie as anything she’d seen in movies, with heavy leather-bound books on shelves along the walls and a large stone carving in the middle of the room. The stone was carved with a large dip in the centre, like a scoop had been taken out of the rock. The resulting hollow was blazing with fire, making light and shadows dance and flicker like ghouls around her. It was dim and musty, and felt subterranean, but Ember thought it was wonderful.

  However, what surprised her was that there were already three people in the room. Ricky, Brandon and Perry were seated around the room in wooden chairs, various expressions of surprise on their faces as they looked at Ember and Reid. Ricky stared aghast at them, while Brandon and Perry looked shocked and angry.

  Ember felt suddenly out of place, like she’d intruded on a secret meeting, and whispered to Reid - despite the fact the rest of the occupants of the room could probably hear her as if she were speaking out loud - “Do they know I know?” She shifted back behind him just a little, uncomfortable as they continued to gaze unhappily at her.

  “Well, they do now,” Reid replied quietly, his voice holding a tone of amusement. He reached back and wrapped an arm round her shoulders. He led her forward and swung out a little wooden stool for her to sit on, placing it next to one of the empty wooden chairs that he sat on himself. Then there was there racket of several voices shouting at once.

  “Reid, What’re you doing?”

  “Are you nuts? Why is she here?”

  “How much does she know?”

  The outbursts came from Perry and Brandon, while Ricky just gave her a shy smile and a wave. He didn’t seem to have a problem with this, so why should the others?

  “Brandon, you know she knows. She was there that night with the witches, remember? What was I supposed to do, compel her?” Reid meant the words mockingly, she could tell, but they came out harsh like a snarl. His face, though, was impassive as marble in the flickering firelight.

  “Yes! That’s exactly what you were meant to do! Don’t you realise how much danger she could put us all in?” Brandon yelled back, exasperated and furious. Ember felt a little hurt by this; she’d thought of Brandon and Perry as at least polite acquaintances, and here they were trying to convince Reid to erase her memory. But under the hurt, she was angry too.

  “Danger?” Reid scoffed incredulously, “If anyone’s in danger, it’s her! Or haven’t you heard about the incident with the crow yet?”

  Reid’s blue eyes held that inhuman g
lint, like fire reflecting off a sword, and the sliding ribbons of firelight dancing over the sharp angles of his cheekbones only made it scarier. His expression was vicious, making it clear he wanted to fight Brandon over this. Ember got the impression that Reid would fight Brandon over a differing opinion of ice cream flavours, though.

  “What crow? What are you talking about? It doesn’t matter now. We need to blank her memory or else-” Brandon started, sounding a little tired all of a sudden.

  Ember cut him off with her own protests. “Excuse me! Stop talking about me like I’m not right here!” she snapped. “And if you dare try to blank my memory I swear to God I’ll stab you with a pencil! Just like a tiny stake, right?” She heard Reid snicker at that, but she continued her rant anyway, ignoring him. “I’m not going to tell anyone what you are, so relax. And just in case you missed it, I’m here with Reid. Doesn’t that kind of tell you something? If I really had anything against you guys being vampires, I wouldn’t have let Reid drag me here, would I?” Ember came to a stop and breathed out heavily. She stared hard at all of them, and smirked.

  She seemed to have stunned them all with her outburst. Ricky had been around her enough to know she had an explosive temper and she wasn’t to be messed with, but Brandon and Perry had had very little idea of that until now. Reid was grinning like a maniac, pride and victory and smugness all over his face. Obviously even he hadn’t entirely expected her to lash out like that, but he clearly found it amusing to see Brandon stunned that way. He started laughing, a sound that echoed off the walls and made Ember smile. Ricky was first to recover and he grinned at her boldly.

  “I think she’s right. They both are. I know Ember enough to know that she won’t expose our secret and if she’s with Reid, she has a right to know.” He sounded a little sheepish at the end, despite his strong words. Ember knew what he was thinking of: Sherry. She could see the doubt form in his eyes. And she felt again that twinge of guilt at keeping this from her best friend, but pushed it away. Reid was still chuckling next to her, and Ember gave Ricky a genuinely grateful smile for being on their side. Brandon and Perry slowly stopped being stunned by her outburst but still didn’t seem happy about any of this.